Woman Faked Pregnancies, Told Ex She Sold Children in Revenge, Court Hears

A woman is alleged to have falsely convinced her ex-partner that she had given birth to two children and subsequently sold them for £500 as an act of revenge for his alleged abuse.

The man, who cannot be identified, brought the case before the High Court, describing the situation as an "elaborate campaign of deceit" that spanned three years. He told the court that he believed he had experienced a pregnancy with his ex-partner and had even felt her stomach.

The man, in his early 30s, never saw the alleged children because the woman reportedly alerted authorities with accusations of assault following each supposed birth, leading to his arrest and detention. She provided him with photographs and an ultrasound image, according to a written ruling by Mrs Justice Judd.

However, the woman told the judge that she had fabricated the pregnancies as a form of revenge, asserting that the man had abused her and her son. She stated that she was menopausal at the time and could not have been pregnant. Evidence presented to the court included bank statements showing she visited a tanning salon on the day she claimed one of the babies was born. She also admitted that a voice message she sent to the man's mother, featuring a crying baby, was created by playing a YouTube video.

In her ruling, published in February, Mrs Justice Judd stated that it was "most likely" the children did not exist. The man reported that in late 2022, his partner informed him of her first pregnancy and appeared visibly pregnant as time progressed. When the first baby was reportedly due in May 2023, the couple argued, and the woman called the police, alleging he had assaulted her. The man was subsequently arrested and held on remand for several months.

During his incarceration, the woman sent a message to his stepfather announcing the baby's birth and later sent the man photographs and regular updates about the child. Upon his release, the relationship reportedly resumed, but the man stated his partner told him the baby was with a relative and that he was not permitted to see the child, though she continued to share pictures.

She then informed him of a second pregnancy, due in August 2024. The couple separated that month and did not reconcile. Afterward, she reportedly told the man's mother that the second baby had been born. At some point, she informed the man that she had sold the children, which prompted his application to the court.

Mrs Justice Judd noted a lack of evidence of births on the woman's phone, nor any records from local authorities or police. The judge concluded that while two "extremely unlikely" and "bizarre scenarios" were presented, it was most probable that the woman had "engaged in a campaign of deception lasting for about three years" to make the man believe he was the father of children who likely never existed. The judge described the actions as cruel, causing the man and his mother to believe they had children and grandchildren respectively.