Woman who forged paternity test certificates avoids prison sentence
Beth Fernley, 26, admitted fraud by false representation.
A woman who forged paternity test results and lied to her ex-partner about him being the father of her child has avoided a prison sentence.
Beth Fernley, 26, told Ryan Hampson in April 2019 she was pregnant and was unsure about who the baby’s father was, Liverpool Crown Court heard on Tuesday.
Gareth Roberts, prosecuting, told the court she had asked Mr Hampson for £300 towards a DNA test and then sent him screenshots which she claimed were from company EasyDNA and showed there was a 99.9% probability he was the father.
Mr Roberts said the documents were later confirmed to have been forged.
Fernley, of Wroxham Road in Warrington, pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation at a hearing last month.
Sentencing her, Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary said: “This was a particularly dreadful offence which has had a profound effect on many people including, most particularly, Mr Hampson himself and also members of his extended family.”
