Woman faked two pregnancies and 'sold' babies for £500 to destroy ex-partner over abuse claims, High Court rules

From the Newshound archive · first published 3 October 2026 · last updated 4 October 2026.

A woman deceived her former partner into believing she had borne two children who in all probability never existed, supporting the deception with forged ultrasound scans, photographs of babies and late-night voice messages featuring a crying infant sourced from YouTube. Mrs Justice Judd published the ruling on Friday, describing the three-year campaign as "extraordinary" and an "elaborate campaign of deceit." The man, in his early 30s, handed over roughly £30,000 across two years and was arrested and remanded in custody after she contacted police following each supposed birth. The woman, in her early 50s, acknowledged she had lied but argued it was retaliation for abuse.

She presented herself as visibly pregnant and allowed her ex-partner to feel her stomach, before telling him she had sold both children for a combined total of £500.

Bank records placed her at a tanning shop on the same day she claimed to have delivered one of the children, fatally undermining her account.

She later admitted that the infant's cries heard in the midnight voice notes sent to his mother were a YouTube video playing in the background.