Mother jailed for faking son's illness
Mother jailed for faking son's illness
Friday, 22, Jan 2010 05:55
By Alex Steger.
A mother who pretended her son was seriously ill in order to meet celebrities and fund a luxury lifestyle has been jailed for subjecting him to 'enduring cruelty.'
Exeter crown court heard how Lisa Hayden-Johnson subjected her son to "24-hour-a-day torture" which even led him to be operated on unnecessarily.
The 35-year-old mother of two, from Brixham, Devon, was sentenced to three years and three months for her actions through which she amassed cash donations and charity gifts, including two cruises.
As well as presenting her son in a wheelchair to the Duchess of Cornwall, and appearing on television, she also successfully lobbied for her son to receive a Child of Courage Award, describing him as the 'sickest child in Britain'.
The court heard that Hayden-Johnson subjected the youngster, who cannot be name for legal reasons, to a total of 325 medical actions. These included confining him to a wheelchair and having him fed through a tube in his stomach. She claimed he suffered from a long list of illnesses including diabetes, food allergies, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, and dysphagia.
She admitted cruelty and perverting the course of justice.
Prosecutor Andrew Macfarlane said Hayden-Johnson "revelled in the publicity she was able to generate by using her son".
He said "the pinnacle of the defendant's achievements" came in 2005 when she successfully and "vigorously lobbied" for her son to receive a Child of Courage Award.
Hayden-Johnson also secured free tickets for the X Factor after contacting Simon Cowell.
The boy was taken into care in 2007. Police found a hospital bed, a feed pump, oxygen mask and medical supplies in his room.
Mr Macfarlane said the boy "was convinced that he was chronically and seriously ill".
He added: "The effect of all this on his long-term psyche is unclear."