A Magician’s Disappearing Act Leaves Multiple Victims Out of Pocket
A magician who vanished before a village festival, after being paid upfront, has left a trail of disappointed clients in his wake. The Mail has uncovered how Dean Spruce, who runs Aberdeenshire-based Divine Magic with partner Vicky McCann, has been accused of using various excuses to avoid fulfilling his commitments.
Spruce was hired for the Aberlour Festival in Moray in August, where he was paid £300 but failed to show up, leaving 100 children disappointed. He initially claimed he had been in a “black spot with no signal,” but later changed his story to say he had been “stuck in a hurricane.”
Since 2023, several parties have come forward, claiming that Spruce has used multiple excuses to avoid appearing at events. These include claims of being in a car accident, having Covid, or being in hospital with broken ribs. Some of these victims have spent as much as £1,000 on bookings that were never fulfilled.
Laura Ripley, owner of Aberdeen-based events company Northern Frights, booked Spruce for three nights in December 2023. He failed to turn up, leaving her around £1,000 out of pocket. While he eventually paid back the money, it was done “in dribs and drabs” over several months.
Ms. Ripley said: “The only trick he was any good at was making people’s money disappear. He had been taking double bookings. He just seems to keep getting away with it.”
Edinburgh-based Beautiful Events Group manager Ashley Gilmour also suffered from Spruce’s absence. She recalls that on the day of the first event, Spruce contacted her to say he had “been in a car accident and was on his way to hospital.” Later, he claimed he had “broken ribs” and would be “unable to attend.”
The firm booked him for another event, but Spruce once again failed to appear, using the same car accident excuse. Ms. Gilmour noted that during the time he claimed to be hospitalized for the first event, he was posting on Facebook from a different event.
Garioch Heritage Centre in Inverurie tried to book Spruce for a Halloween event in 2023, but he failed to turn up, claiming he “had Covid.” This left them £350 out of pocket.
According to reports, Spruce has charged five organizations more than £2,000 in total for his bookings. While some refunds have been made, others are still waiting for their money.
After being accused of letting down at least six other groups, Spruce has come forward to apologize. In a statement to the Mail, he said: “I’m sorry for the bookings I missed as it’s been a tricky few years with health issues and other problems. Anyone awaiting refund please contact me and I will see they are refunded promptly.”
Summary of Incidents Involving Dean Spruce
- Aberlour Festival (August 2023): Paid £300 but failed to appear, leaving 100 children disappointed.
- Northern Frights (December 2023): Booked for three nights, but failed to turn up, causing £1,000 loss.
- Beautiful Events Group: Claims of car accident and broken ribs led to non-attendance at two events.
- Garioch Heritage Centre (Halloween 2023): Failed to appear, citing illness, resulting in £350 loss.
- Multiple Other Organizations: Charged over £2,000 in total, with some refunds issued and others pending.
Spruce’s actions have raised concerns about his reliability and integrity, with many questioning how he has managed to continue booking events despite repeated failures. His recent apology has not fully resolved the issue, as those affected are still seeking full reimbursement.
