Justice for father fooled by ‘wicked’ baby hoax

COURT: Former lover and her friend jailed after leading man to believe his child was dead

A father tricked into thinking his former lover had aborted their baby shouted “yes” as she was jailed for three years.

Perth Sheriff Court heard the mother claimed she had a termination but instead continued with the pregnancy and later insisted the father of the child was a homosexual friend.

The elaborate hoax lasted for more than three years and only came to light after DNA testing.

The friend involved in the hoax was also jailed for three years.

Sentencing, Sheriff William-Wood described the scam as “wicked and cynical”.

He added a social work report suggested the pair will have caused “lasting psychological damage or at least trauma” to this child.

Meanwhile, the girl’s real father said: “I mourned... I thought the child was dead. I have finally got justice for my little girl.”

A mother who helped her gay friend steal her former lover’s baby in an elaborate abortion hoax lasting three years was jailed for three years yesterday.

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 spontaneous round of applause.

Sheriff William Wood told the pair: “In all respects this was an elaborate and cynical scheme. In the context of this scheme, I can see no reason to differentiate between you.

“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.”

Outside court, a close friend of the father said: “He is delighted they have both been sent to prison for a considerable period of time. It is the very least they deserved. It is now a case of trying to pick up the pieces and move on with his life with his daughter.”

The callous pair conspired to dupe the little girl’s biological father out of knowing she even existed by lying to him and setting up an elaborate trail to cover their tracks.

The court had heard claims that the mother may have sold her daughter on to her co-accused for as little as £100 because he wanted a baby of his own.

Both were found guilty of duping her ex-lover into thinking she had an abortion after she told him she had become pregnant with his child in 2010.

A jury found both unanimously guilty after a week-long trial at Perth Sheriff Court.

The father of the child said previously: “I have finally got justice for my little girl.”

During the trial, he told the court he had “mourned” for the child after being falsely told by his former partner, from Perth, she had undergone a termination to get rid of their baby.

The 29-year-old woman claimed she had sex with her gay friend, 35, and thought the baby was his and he claimed he believed her version of events.

The child’s mother and her homosexual friend had signed the birth certificate and claimed to be the child’s natural parents, but DNA tests later proved the other man was the child’s real father.

The father – who took his case to the Lord Advocate and made a formal complaint about police inaction over his well-founded allegations – has now married and taken custody of his daughter.