Daughter faked cancer to pay for partying

A WOMAN who told her parents that she was dying from cancer and needed money for treatment abroad spent the £23,000 they raised from friends on drugs, parties and holidays.

Hanna Dickenson was 19 when she convinced her parents that she had weeks to live and needed money for life-saving treatment. Her parents, who are farmers, asked their friends and neighbours to help.

Nathan and Rachel Cue, who were neighbours, remortgaged their home and donated $11,000 (£6,000) but went to police after seeing photographs that Dickenson, of Victoria, Australia, had posted on Facebook in which she was drinking and partying.

Dickenson was charged with obtaining property by deception and pleaded guilty to seven charges. Describing her offence as “despicable”, a magistrate in Victoria sentenced her to three months in jail, 150 hours of community work and treatment for mental health issues and substance abuse.

“It smacks of a Walter Mitty kind of lifestyle,” said magistrate David Starvaggi. “Ms Dickenson engaged in conduct that tears at the very heartstrings of human nature.”