Woman deceived ex-partner that she had given birth to his babies, judge rules
The man paid his ex-partner around £30,000 over two years believing she had given birth to his children.
By BBC News
A woman deceived her ex-partner into believing she had given birth to two children who most likely did not exist, with a High Court judge describing the case as an extraordinary and elaborate campaign of deceit.
The BBC report says the man, referred to as John in the proceedings, paid his former partner around £30,000 over two years after being led to believe he was the father of the children. He had been told she was pregnant in late 2022, shown ultrasound images and, as time went on, believed she was visibly pregnant.
The case came before the Family Court after John learnt that the supposed children had allegedly been sold for £500. In court, the woman, identified as Jane, admitted that she had lied and said there were in fact no children.
The judge found that the evidence against the genuine existence of the children was very strong and said John had been the victim of a sustained and elaborate campaign of deceit. The ruling also said the deception affected his mother and his closest friend.
The judge said the conduct was cruel, because it led John and his mother to believe they had children and grandchildren respectively. She said she could not determine Jane’s motive, but said financial fraud was a possibility and that complex mental health problems may also have played a part.
The BBC report does not identify a town, council area or other local venue connected to the case. The judgment leaves the woman’s exact motive unresolved.