Woman deceived ex-partner that she gave birth to his babies, judge rules
A UK High Court judge ruled that a woman engaged in an elaborate deception by convincing her ex-partner she had given birth to two children who did not exist. The woman admitted to the lies as a form of revenge following a volatile relationship.
Why it matters
The case underscores the legal and psychological complexities of domestic disputes involving fabricated events and false allegations.
Image source, Getty Images Published 3 October 2026, 05:07 BST By Helena Wilkinson , News correspondent and Henry Moore A woman convinced her former partner she had given birth to two children who most likely did not exist in what a High Court judge described as an "extraordinary" and "elaborate campaign of deceit".
The man, who has not been named but was referred to as John in the judgement, applied to the Family Court after he was told the woman had sold their two children for a combined £500.
The case heard that the man received messages and photos of the children and paid the woman around £30,000 over the course of two years.
But in a hearing in February, the woman, who was referred to as Jane, told the judge she had lied about the pregnancies for revenge, claiming the man had abused her.
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