Bride faked cancer to cheat friends out of wedding cash
SHE TOLD COLLEAGUES: ‘I’VE ONLY GOT 12 MONTHS TO LIVE’
A BRIDE faked having terminal breast cancer to dupe friends and work colleagues into helping pay for her wedding.
Care home assistant Julie Parker, 54, said she had 12 months to live before unveiling plans for a summer wedding to fellow carer David Parker.
Staff, residents and their families were so touched by her plight they insisted on having a collection, organised the reception at the home and even booked a night away in a hotel for the couple.
Parker was able to swindle them out of nearly £1,300 for the wedding, including £300 of presents.
But the scam began to unravel when carers at Bankfield House residential care home in Stockport noticed the newlywed showed no signs of ill health.
She was later confronted by bosses and confessed she had made it all up.
At Tameside magistrates court Parker, of Hyde, was found guilty after a trial of fraud by false representation.
She was told to pay £1,292 in compensation and ordered to complete a 12-month community order and 200 hours’ work. She must pay £585 costs.
Her husband, 55, who worked as activities co-ordinator at the care home, was also charged with fraud but was cleared of wrongdoing. Both have been fired from the home for gross misconduct.
The scam began in November 2017 after Mrs Parker, then using her maiden name Newman, went to her boss to falsely tell of her cancer diagnosis.
Prosecutor Nick Smart said: “The defendant said her cancer was terminal and she had a few months to live. Mr Parker said they were bringing the wedding forward because of the situation.
“Most of the staff at the care home were upset and in anguish hearing about this but they all continued to carry on. Staff did a collection and raised approximately £300 including cards and flowers.
“The directors of the home said they would assist with their wedding. A buffet, wedding cake, decorations and all other kinds of paraphernalia associated with a wedding were bought and put on.”
The Parkers married on July 4, 2018, at Dukinfield registry office before a reception at the care home.
She confessed she lied during a meeting with her boss and the home’s directors the following September.
Care home manager Elizabeth Abedo, whose own husband passed away from cancer, told the hearing: “I called Julie to bring in all her hospital papers about her diagnosis but there were no letters about cancer.
“The only letter she could provide was about a normal breast screening from 2014. Later at a meeting I asked Julie three times if she had cancer and she broke down.
“She dropped her head and said ‘no – I do not have it.’ She said, ‘It was my idea, but I brought David into it.’”
The court heard police contacted local hospitals but none had any record of Mrs Parker being treated for cancer.
Defence lawyer Matthew Wallace said: “This is a person who has lived a good and exemplary life prior to this.’’
But magistrates told Parker: “You have shown very little remorse. This was a disturbing case because the offence targeted vulnerable people in a care home.’’