A former Brookside actor who became one of Britain’s most wanted fugitives after masterminding a £13.6million modelling scam has been arrested on the Costa Blanca.
Footage shared by the Guardia Civil shows the moment Philip Barry Foster, 51, was detained in Orihuela Costa area on September 17.
The convicted fraudster had been hiding in Spain after jumping bail and failing to appear for sentencing in the UK.
He was jailed in his absence for eight-and-a-half years in February 2025 after being convicted of fraud and money laundering.
Foster, who appeared as Christian Wright in the Channel 4 soap Brookside during the 1990s, was exposed following a six-year investigation by National Trading Standards.
He had operated a network of bogus modelling agencies and photography studios that targeted more than 6,000 aspiring models over eight years.
Victims were drawn in by misleading advertisements and allegedly told that they had the potential to secure lucrative professional work.
They were then pressured into paying large sums for poor-quality digital photographs that could not be used to obtain legitimate modelling jobs.
Some reportedly used credit agreements or payday loans to cover the costs, leaving families in serious debt.
Foster ran the scheme from Spain while associates operated sham agencies and studios in British cities including London, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Coventry and Nottingham.
Eight other people were convicted alongside him.
Discovered during murder investigation
Foster was identified by chance while officers from the Guardia Civil’s homicide, missing persons and fugitives unit were investigating a killing.
The force has not accused him of involvement in that homicide. Instead, enquiries made during the investigation led detectives to a man whose identity revealed an outstanding international extradition warrant.
Checks confirmed that he was Foster and that he appeared in the latest UK Most Wanted campaign.
Officers from the Guardia Civil’s USECIC public-security unit helped carry out the arrest and search his home.
They reportedly discovered €22,000 in cash and several false identity documents that Foster is suspected of using while on the run.
He is now also being investigated in Spain on suspicion of document forgery.
Foster was brought before a duty court in Alicante ahead of proceedings at Spain’s National Court, which handles international extradition cases.
Efforts to return him to Britain are now under way, the National Crime Agency confirmed.
NCA deputy director Rick Jones praised the Guardia Civil officers involved and said the arrest demonstrated the continuing success of the Most Wanted campaign.
Wendy Martin, director of National Trading Standards, said Foster’s actions had left thousands of victims facing serious debt, emotional distress and lasting financial pressure.
