Friday, September 9, 2011

Outright Maternity Fraud In The UK

With the high number of occurrences, this could be a real mag. (HT


This is one of the most outrageous maternity fraud stories I've come across. From the UK Daily Mail:

A man who had his sperm frozen in case he became infertile was astonished to learn that his ex-wife had tricked an IVF clinic into twice making her pregnant.

He then had to pay £100,000 towards the upbringing of the son and daughter he had known nothing about.

The father, a 57-year-old retired haulier, is now demanding a change in the law to ensure no other parents go through his torment.

The astonishing story begins in 1999 when the man was about to have drug treatment for crippling arthritis.

He stored sperm at the Bourn Hall Clinic in Cambridge to ensure that he and his wife, who married in 1979, could have a child if the treatment left him infertile.

In June 2000 the couple decided to divorce and weeks later she visited the clinic and forged his signature, allowing doctors to create embryos from his frozen sperm and her egg.

She gave birth to a girl in June 2001, claiming it was the result of a one-night stand, and a boy in September 2003.

When the boy needed hospital treatment for a hole in the heart, his mother’s sister phoned the haulier to reveal that both children were his.

‘When the girl got older my ex-wife texted me saying she wanted to see her father. The children asked their mum where they came from and she told them, “The freezer”.’ In 2007 the ex-wife demanded he pay an extra £100,000 after she fell into debt.

A judge ruled that a settlement he made after the divorce, in which the woman kept the family home, was unfair because it did not take the two children into account and the man was forced to pay out the cash. He says he has also spent almost £200,000 in legal fees over the years.

Let me see if I have this straight: She forges her ex hubby's signature so she can have children, then she wants him to bail her out? Nice. I also disagree with the judges decision. I believe the divorce settlement was fair because at the time of the divorce there were no children. They came later as a result of the ex-wife's dishonesty. The woman's take? you'll love this:

I don’t believe I have done anything wrong. It was getting later and later for me and I wanted to have a child. If I had not done it then I would not be blessed with my children. I have no regrets.

Given that the UK legal system allowed you to fleece your ex-husband, I'm sure you don't.

Background Intel:

UK Daily Mail: 'Father' ordered to pay £100k for children he never knew he had after ex-wife tricked IVF clinic into using his frozen sperm

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