Woman jailed for hiding son's cremation from ex-husband
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Version 0 of 1. A “vindictive and spiteful” woman who filled in false paperwork to stop her ex-husband attending their son’s cremation has been jailed for four months. Cathleen Hackney, 56, signed fake certificates to stop Paul Barber from attending the funeral of their son, Paul Moreland, 32 – who had died in November 2010 after a longstanding health condition. Barber, who had tried to stop the cremation, was unaware his son’s burial was taking place after Hackney wrongly stated on the forms that there were no relatives who were unaware of the cremation, and that none of them opposed it taking place. In the end no one, not even Hackney, attended the funeral. Hackney, from Stoke-on-Trent, denied arranging her son’s funeral for 9.30am because of bitterness towards her former partner. The couple had an acrimonious divorce in 1983, the trial heard, and subsequent contact relating to their son was marred by dispute and conflict. Hackney was found guilty of two charges under the 1902 Cremations Act last month. She was composed as Judge David Fletcher sentenced her at Stoke-on-Trent crown court on Friday. The judge, who also ordered Hackney to pay Barber £5,000 in compensation, said: “I have no doubt that this is a case where your actions were intended to cause harm specifically to Mr Barber. You willingly violated the criminal law to achieve that aim.” Adding that Barber had undoubtedly suffered psychological distress, the judge told his former wife: “Your behaviour undermined a serious and important process in the most fundamental way. Your behaviour has plumbed the depths and can properly be described as selfish and egocentric. It’s an old-fashioned word, I know, but your behaviour was wicked.” Although Fletcher accepted that Moreland’s death had been “upsetting and highly emotional” for Hackney, he said a clear message needed to be sent out that such offences would not be condoned. He told her: “You were vindictive and you were spiteful. You did this … because you continued to harbour bitter feelings towards your ex-husband.” Speaking after Hackney was jailed, Barber said: “I am just glad that it’s all over and justice has been served. It wouldn’t have come to this if she hadn’t been so vindictive. I’m not glad it’s come to this, but she has done what she’s done and she’s going to have to live with it.” |