Woman spared prison for fatal cancer fraud

Caroline Bull, 38, of Amo Mews, Worthing, in West Sussex, pocketed £8,537 in sick leave pay and raised £4,500 that was supposed to go to charity under the pretence that she had months to live.

She even discussed her own funeral and convinced friends to get matching tattoos in a display of support.

Hove Crown Court heard yesterday how she deceived friends and family over a two-year period.

She was later diagnosed with clinical depression, after the offences had been committed and psychiatrists suggested she may have been influenced by the case of Jade Goody, whose fight against cervical cancer was being extensively reported at the time.

Outlining the case, prosecutor Gareth Burrows said: “Caroline Bull registered with a cancer agency in 2008, and she registered with that agency under the pretence that she had cervical cancer and was intending to raise funds for Cancer Research.

“In fact she did not have cancer and all the funds that she raised through various fundraising nights was not received by Cancer Research.”

He said Bull told her friend Gemma Radley, who worked in a hair salon, that she had five months to live, spurring her friend to organise a fundraising day where the premises were decked out in pink and its customers were encouraged to put money in charity boxes.

Bull also organised a fundraising night at a nightclub which involved two raffles, staff from the salon doing hairstyling, a band, a magician and numerous charity buckets.

Mr Burrows continued: “It’s not clear where that money went. But what is clear is that this defendant did not have cancer and all these efforts were made under the false pretence that she did.”

The court heard that a number of her friends even got matching tattoos with the words “see you on the other side” to show their support. She even discussed her funeral arrangements with friends.

Bull pleaded guilty to a charge of fraud by false representation and one of theft, which related to her receiving the sick pay from her employers, H&R Healthcare, between October 2008 and May 2009. She denied a third charge of theft from Cancer Research UK, which was left on file.

Kriston Berlevy, defending, said “a more upsetting and unpleasant set of circumstances would be difficult to imagine”.

Bull had no previous convictions and an “exemplary” work record while her motive behind the offences remained unclear.

He said she had always maintained she had never stolen from the cancer charity and did not set out to be dishonest, adding that it appeared she had fooled herself into believing she was ill.

“She has consistently stated that she genuinely believed she was terminally-ill when it all began,” he told the court.

Bull wept as she was sentenced to perform 200 hours of unpaid work in the community. Judge Anthony Niblett said she betrayed the trust of her employers and friends. “This is simply because at the relevant time you were mentally ill.”