A seasoned conwoman "brazenly and blatantly" fleeced the taxpayer out of thousands of pounds as she lied about having terminal cancer.
Lesley Clarke, of Blinkhorn Grove, St Helens, was awarded £22,962 in benefits over a period of three years, from March 2016 until April 2019, after falsely claiming to have terminal ovarian cancer. The 62-year-old mum submitted forged documents and letters from Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in support of her lies, and continued to feign illness until a hospital investigation exposed her.
She appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today, where she pleaded guilty to eight counts of fraud and forgery.
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Gareth Roberts, prosecuting, said Clarke's "sophisticated" fraud operation began on March 16 2016, when she informed authorities she had terminal ovarian cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy and taking medication.
On August 9 2016, in support of her claim, she presented forged documents which she said came from Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, confirming she was unfit to work. On November 29 2016 Clarke served a PIP review document saying she was still undergoing chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and was taking medication for her cancer.
On July 24 2017 the DWP received another forged report, purported to be from Clatterbridge Hospital, stating Clarke was unfit for work. This was followed by another forged 'unfit for work' letter on August 10 2017. On January 3 2018 Clarke presented to the DWP another PIP review in which she started her cancer had grown and that she was receiving increased treatment.
Mr Roberts said: "The fraud came to light on the back of a tip-off, and was investigated by the DWP. The documents supplied by Clarke were sent to Clatterbridge Hospital, they were checked and confirmed to be false. The consultant that was quoted by her was in fact retired.
"Clarke's medical history was obtained and she was found to have no history of cancer or any illness of a similar nature between 2016 and 2020.
"In June 2019 she was interviewed and during that interview she continued to assert she was suffering from ovarian cancer which had progressed into her spine. She said her condition was terminal and was able to outline in detail the treatment she said she received."
Judge David Aubrey said Clarke had "brazenly and blatantly" lied to him in previous court appearances, where she continued to claim to have ovarian cancer until Clatterbridge Hospital proved she did not.
He said: "All these members of staff at Clatterbridge Hospital, who are highly pressurised daily with extremely ill patients, had to take time off to prepare statements and investigate matters further. All that was a waste of time."
David Polglase, defending, said Clarke, who has previous convictions for shop-lifting, false representation, frequently obtaining property, and dishonesty, was ashamed of her behaviour as her daughter's husband had died of terminal leukaemia.
He said: "My client's position is, since he was very young, her son has had difficulties with drug addiction. He has difficulties with mental health and she says that her dishonesty over the years has been fuelled as a misguided way or desire to assist her son. He is 32 now. I have raised this with my client that, given the nature of the offending and her background, the court may be sceptical about that.
"Her husband three years ago took his own life. Her daughter has moved overseas, and lost her own husband. She's even more ashamed of her behaviour because that loss to her daughter was from cancer."
Lesley Clarke was sentenced to 10 months in prison.
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