Mother jailed over fake abortion

‘Wicked and cynical’ woman and gay friend claimed he fathered girl

A MOTHER who helped her gay friend steal her former lover’s baby in an elaborate abortion hoax has been jailed for three years.

She and her hairdresser friend – who was also jailed for three years for his part in the scam – were described as “wicked and cynical” by the sheriff.

The child’s real father shouted “yes” when the sentences were imposed and several friends in the public gallery burst into a round of applause.

Sheriff William Wood told the duo: “In all respects this was an elaborate and cynical scheme. Neither of you have accepted responsibility for your conduct.

“You have little insight into your actions and the consequences for others. The maintenance of your innocence does neither of you any credit.

“You persisted in this wicked scheme for a period of almost three years, until [the father] was able to get to the truth. Had it not been for his determination there may well have been further damage to this child.

“The social work report says your conduct is likely to have caused lasting psychological damage, or at least trauma, to this child. You denied her father the opportunity to parent his child for a significant period of time.”

The court heard the real father knew that the 29-year-old woman, from Perth, was pregnant but after they separated she told him she had had an abortion.

She also told the local council she had terminated the original pregnancy with the child’s father and that her co-accused was the father of the child she now had.

However, DNA tests proved this was not the case.

Outside court, a close friend of the girl’s real father said he was delighted with the sentence and was trying to “pick up the pieces and move with his life with his daughter”.

After a week-long trial at Perth Sheriff Court, a jury found the woman and her friend guilty of carrying out a fraud against the father for nearly three years.

Between June 1, 2010 and April 18, 2013 they carried out the fraud at Perth High Street, Perth Royal Infirmary, Perth police office and Perth Registry Office.

The court heard the 35-year-old gay man claimed the baby girl had been given to him by a surrogate called Clare Green. However, the woman had been created by the two accused, who even created a Facebook page for the fictional lawyer.

The court heard claims the mother may have sold her daughter to her co-accused for as little as £100. The fraud came to light when the natural father was told the other man’s child was his spitting image.

He took the case to police, but was turned away and told it was a civil matter. It was only after writing to lodge a formal complaint with police that the case was opened as a criminal investigation.

The father has now married and taken custody of his daughter.

When the verdicts were returned last month, he said: “It’s going to take years and years of battle to try to make my daughter understand. I have missed the first three years of her life – her first steps, first tooth and first words. She has been deeply affected by what happened and it will take a hell of a lot of support to get her through it.

“How could a woman and mother ever think up something like this? I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy. I mourned and shed a lot of tears because I truly believed my child was dead.”

Sheriff Wood spoke directly to the father at the end of the trial to praise him and said: “It is to your credit that you have campaigned so long and hard for your daughter.

“I can’t fail to be impressed by the vigour and stamina that has been required of you to get matters this far.

“It is a highly unusual case.”

‘‘ You denied her father the opportunity to parent his child for a significant period of time

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