A travel agent who cancelled customers’ flights and kept the refunded money by blaming global events has managed to avoid extending her time in jail, despite breaching the trust of her clients.

Zahra Rachid, owner of Travel World Sydney, executed a straightforward yet cunning scheme over more than eight months, claiming it was a desperate measure to save her struggling business.

The Downing Centre Local Court heard of at least one victim who arrived at Sydney Airport, ready to embark on a European journey, only to discover that their plane ticket was nonexistent.

Despite the havoc caused, Rachid has not attempted to make any restitution to her victims, a point highlighted by the magistrate.

“Actions speak louder than words,” Magistrate Horan remarked during the proceedings.

While sentencing Rachid to a minimum of six months in jail, Magistrate Horan took into account her guilty pleas to eight counts of fraud, her previously clean criminal record, and her expressed “deep and genuine” remorse.

Rachid had worked for 15 years in the industry before taking over a small business which catered to those wanting to travel to the Middle East.

The travel agency was “knocked for a six” by restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and then travel advisories related to Israel’s war in Gaza, her barrister Ertunc Ozen SC earlier told the court.

“This was an extraordinary, admittedly serious criminal response to an extraordinary set of circumstances,” Ozen told the court.

The financial stress at the time included the loss of her apartment as she funnelled cash into the struggling business.

Diagnoses of chronic anxiety and panic attacks were also cited as reasons for poor decisions under pressure.

Other fraud charges were dropped after Rachid entered guilty pleas in November.

Highlighting a need to send a message to other small business owners, Horan sentenced Rachid to one year in prison, with a minimum of six months.

With time served, she walked from court today.

The former agent was also ordered to repay $44,800 to the victims who had not already been compensated by their banks.