This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/nov/13/woman-jailed-faking-sons-illness
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Woman jailed for faking son's illness to claim £85,000 in benefits | Woman jailed for faking son's illness to claim £85,000 in benefits |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| A mother who shaved her young son's head and eyebrows and forced him to use a wheelchair to make it appear he was seriously ill so she could claim £85,000 in benefits has been jailed. | A mother who shaved her young son's head and eyebrows and forced him to use a wheelchair to make it appear he was seriously ill so she could claim £85,000 in benefits has been jailed. |
| The woman kept up the pretence for three years while the boy was aged between six and nine, sending him to school wearing a bandana and making him remain in his wheelchair, even though he was ridiculed by his classmates. | The woman kept up the pretence for three years while the boy was aged between six and nine, sending him to school wearing a bandana and making him remain in his wheelchair, even though he was ridiculed by his classmates. |
| She was given a new car to drive the boy around and was able to take him on holiday to Florida, where she made him use the wheelchair so that they would be moved to the front of queues. | She was given a new car to drive the boy around and was able to take him on holiday to Florida, where she made him use the wheelchair so that they would be moved to the front of queues. |
| Gloucester crown court was told that the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had a personality disorder. But jailing her for three years and nine months, Judge Jamie Tabor QC said her behaviour amounted to cruelty over a long period of time and had caused damage to her son who, like those around him, believed he was ill. | Gloucester crown court was told that the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had a personality disorder. But jailing her for three years and nine months, Judge Jamie Tabor QC said her behaviour amounted to cruelty over a long period of time and had caused damage to her son who, like those around him, believed he was ill. |
| He told the woman from Gloucestershire: "Your behaviour towards your son is quite beyond the pale. Over a long period of time you persuaded your little son and, through him, others, he was suffering from ALPS [a disorder of the immune system] and later cancer. | He told the woman from Gloucestershire: "Your behaviour towards your son is quite beyond the pale. Over a long period of time you persuaded your little son and, through him, others, he was suffering from ALPS [a disorder of the immune system] and later cancer. |
| This was cruelty over a long period of time. I accept no physical injury was inflicted but you have caused undoubted long-term psychological harm to him. These were frauds from the outset over a long period of time and you gained financially to a great extent. I note there was a holiday in Florida and a brand new car was provided. This was a deliberate effort to extract as much money from the state as possible." | This was cruelty over a long period of time. I accept no physical injury was inflicted but you have caused undoubted long-term psychological harm to him. These were frauds from the outset over a long period of time and you gained financially to a great extent. I note there was a holiday in Florida and a brand new car was provided. This was a deliberate effort to extract as much money from the state as possible." |
| The judge said the woman, who remained slumped in the dock throughout the hearing, was a "congenital liar". | The judge said the woman, who remained slumped in the dock throughout the hearing, was a "congenital liar". |
| "You have demonstrated an extraordinary lack of candour for a very large majority of your life. I have no doubt that there have been periods in your life when you have been unwell, but I also have no doubt that you have all but lost the ability to tell the truth. You are a congenital liar, nothing you can say can be accepted, everything you say or write has to be double-checked." | "You have demonstrated an extraordinary lack of candour for a very large majority of your life. I have no doubt that there have been periods in your life when you have been unwell, but I also have no doubt that you have all but lost the ability to tell the truth. You are a congenital liar, nothing you can say can be accepted, everything you say or write has to be double-checked." |
| The court heard that she forged doctors' notes and changed the boy's appearance to make it look as though he was taking medication. As well as claiming £85,899.44 in benefits, she was given a people carrier to help her transport her son. | The court heard that she forged doctors' notes and changed the boy's appearance to make it look as though he was taking medication. As well as claiming £85,899.44 in benefits, she was given a people carrier to help her transport her son. |
| She sent forged letters to the Department for Work and Pensions and the boy's school, claiming he was suffering from Autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS) and later lymphoma, a type of cancer. | She sent forged letters to the Department for Work and Pensions and the boy's school, claiming he was suffering from Autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS) and later lymphoma, a type of cancer. |
| The woman was eventually found out when the boy's father became suspicious and went to his GP. She was arrested and admitted one count of child cruelty, eight counts of fraud and one of forgery. | The woman was eventually found out when the boy's father became suspicious and went to his GP. She was arrested and admitted one count of child cruelty, eight counts of fraud and one of forgery. |
| The judge told the court the boy had been "devastated by his mother's use of him as a tool for money". | The judge told the court the boy had been "devastated by his mother's use of him as a tool for money". |
| In a victim impact statement, the boy said: "I don't like her, she is evil. She should be normal, but I don't think she has a normal brain. I did wonder why she picked on me." After she was arrested the boy and his siblings were taken into care. The boy added: "When we first went, I missed Mum, but I didn't understand what was happening. Now I know, I don't miss her anymore." | In a victim impact statement, the boy said: "I don't like her, she is evil. She should be normal, but I don't think she has a normal brain. I did wonder why she picked on me." After she was arrested the boy and his siblings were taken into care. The boy added: "When we first went, I missed Mum, but I didn't understand what was happening. Now I know, I don't miss her anymore." |
| The court heard the fraud started when the woman took her son to their GP after he complained of pains in his legs. After tests, the doctor wrote to inform the woman the boy was fine. But she used the letter as a template to forge letters in which she falsely claimed he was ill. | The court heard the fraud started when the woman took her son to their GP after he complained of pains in his legs. After tests, the doctor wrote to inform the woman the boy was fine. But she used the letter as a template to forge letters in which she falsely claimed he was ill. |
| Lisa Hennessey, prosecuting, said she stopped the boy running around and playing. "He started coming to school in a wheelchair," Hennessey said. "The woman told the school he had serious problems with his knees, but in fact he was desperate to get out of the wheelchair and did not use it at home." | Lisa Hennessey, prosecuting, said she stopped the boy running around and playing. "He started coming to school in a wheelchair," Hennessey said. "The woman told the school he had serious problems with his knees, but in fact he was desperate to get out of the wheelchair and did not use it at home." |
| Later the school received a letter in which it was stated he had lymphoma. | Later the school received a letter in which it was stated he had lymphoma. |
| Hennessey said: "She told the school headteacher that he would be treated with an oral tablet that would make his hair fall out. Within days he was wearing a bandana at school and she contacted teachers to say that children should not pull it off." | Hennessey said: "She told the school headteacher that he would be treated with an oral tablet that would make his hair fall out. Within days he was wearing a bandana at school and she contacted teachers to say that children should not pull it off." |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. |