A convicted charity fraudster has had an appeal against her 39 month jail term thrown out.

But she has since lodged an appeal against her sentence, claiming she did not receive a fair trial and citing a number of issues including unnecessary delays, breach of human rights, fraud, abuse of process and adverse publicity.

During the trial, the jury heard she was the director of horse therapy company Manx Equitherapy Limited (MEL) which she falsely promoted as a not-for-profit charity.

She ‘stole’ the registration numbers of genuine charities to give the fraud an ‘air of authenticity’.

Megson was also overpaid a total of £31,366 in benefits over a period of four years or so by claiming she was too ill to work. In fact she was receiving an income from providing horse riding lessons.

Megson had denied nine counts of benefit fraud, two charges of charity fraud, one count of fraud by false representation and one of obtaining remission of fees by deception.

She represented herself at her trial but was remanded in custody on the second day due to her disruptive behaviour and the proceedings continued in her absence, without her taking the stand.

Sentencing her to 39 months in jail last year, Deemster Cook described her charity offences as the ‘planned exploitation of the public’.

In March she was made subject to a confiscation order for almost £170,000 and was warned in her absence that if she failed to pay-up within six months she would serve another 30 months in jail.

Megson, previously of Ballaradcliffe, Andreas, had refused to attend court, either in person or by video link, for her sentencing in September last year and March’s proceeds of crime hearing.

She was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £5,700 within six months or serve an additional two months in prison.

Megson had also been jailed for 20 weeks in August 2022 for offences relating cruelty to animals.

Megson’s appeal against her sentence was heard earlier this year and the findings of the Judge of Appeal Anthony Cross KC and Acting Deemster Sir Nigel Teare have now been published.

In written submissions to the Appeal Court, the Attorney General said: ‘[The appeal] was largely incoherent and sets out no recognisable grounds of appeal against conviction and/or sentence and/or the confiscation order made against the Appellant.

‘It makes spurious and incoherent references to various statutory provisions, the lack of legal representation and makes allegations of “entrapment” “kidnap” and “invented evidence”.’

The appeal judges dismissed Megson’s grounds for appeal, rejecting claims of bias by Deemster Grame Cook or the High Bailiff.

The appeal judges were highly critical of Megson’s claims of a lack of legal representation, describing them as ‘patent nonsense’.

They also said she made little effort to gain legal counsel as the case against her was ‘overwhelming’.

The appeal judges said: ‘We conclude that not only has she sought to deploy lack of representation as a weapon, so has she with her tactics as to the merit of her case.’

Despite dismissing her claims, the appeal judges did express concerns no direction had been made in respect of her previous good character and the publicity around her animal cruelty convictions.

In respect of the appeal against sentence, the appeal judges said: ‘We are also satisfied that the sentence was not too long. The offences occurred over a protracted period and involved an abuse of the Charities Act.

‘No point can be taken as to the construction of the sentences. The offences were dissimilar, and consecutive sentences were entirely justified. Nor can there be any complaint as to their length.’

Megson’s request to appeal the confiscation order was also refused as she had failed to cooperate with orders made by Deemster Cook.