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Judge rules woman deceived ex-partner into believing she had given birth to his two children

A High Court judge found a woman ran a "sustained and elaborate campaign of deceit" in which she convinced her ex-partner she had borne his two children, who most likely never existed. He paid her about £30,000 over two years.

2 outlets · 1L · 1C · 0R First reported Account updated
Image: BBC News
Image: Metro

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The story, neutrally told

Centre · 1Mrs Justice Judd ruled in the Family Division of the High Court that a woman, referred to as Jane, had most likely convinced her former partner, referred to as John, that she had given birth to two children who did not exist; the judgment was published on Friday 2 October 2026. Mixed · 2The man applied to the Family Court after being told the woman had sold the two children for a combined £500, and only then learnt the children had never existed. Centre · 1The court heard he received messages and photos of the children and paid the woman around £30,000 over two years.

Mixed · 2According to the judgment, the woman told him in late 2022 that she was pregnant, sent ultrasound images and appeared visibly pregnant as time went on. Mixed · 2In May 2023, around the time the first baby was due, the woman called the police alleging the man had assaulted her; he was arrested and held on remand for several months. Mixed · 2She then messaged his stepfather and mother to say the baby had been born, shared baby photos, and sent voice notes with a crying baby in the background; Metro reports the sound was a YouTube clip.

Centre · 1She later claimed a second pregnancy, with a baby due in August 2024; the couple split up that month and did not reconcile, and she told the man's mother the baby had been born. Centre · 1At a hearing in February the woman admitted telling a series of elaborate lies and conceded there were no children; she said she had lied for revenge, claiming the man had abused her. Mixed · 2She said she was menopausal and could not have been pregnant, and bank statements showed she visited a tanning shop on the day she said she gave birth.

Mixed · 2The judge found the factors against the children existing were "very strong", and that there was no evidence of the births on the woman's phone or in local authority or police records. Mixed · 2She described a deception lasting about three years and called the behaviour "cruel", saying it led a man and his mother to believe they had children and grandchildren; it also affected his closest friend. Centre · 1The judge could not conclude what the woman's motive was, but said financial fraud was a "possibility" and that her "complex mental health problems" may have played a part.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.

Left1 outlet

Framing
A more colourful, tabloid-style account led by the claim the woman 'sold' the children and the YouTube baby-cry detail.
Emphasis
Deceptive props (YouTube clip, fake photos and scan, tanning), the woman's age and the man's age.
Leaves out or plays down
Omits the £30,000 payments, the judge's remarks on possible financial fraud and mental health, and the February hearing date.
Charged language
“fraudulent mother”“pretending mother”“elaborate plan”
For example
“The fraudulent mother, now in her early 50s, had used a YouTube clip of a crying baby in a voice message” — Metro

Centre1 outlet

Framing
A straightforward court report led by the judge's finding of an 'extraordinary' and 'elaborate campaign of deceit', with the £30,000 paid.
Emphasis
The judge's reasoning, the man's payments, the timeline of pregnancies, and the judge's uncertainty over motive including mental health and possible financial fraud.
Leaves out or plays down
Does not mention the YouTube crying-baby clip or the woman's age.
Charged language
“extraordinary”“elaborate campaign of deceit”
For example
“a High Court judge described as an "extraordinary" and "elaborate campaign of deceit"” — BBC News

Right0 outlets

No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.