Lies That Spanned Years
A mum who falsely claimed to be dying of cancer has been ordered to repay more than £30,000 after conning her partner into funding luxury trips and cosmetic surgery. Laura McPherson, 36, from Duffield in Derbyshire, spent five years convincing Jon Leonard that she was battling multiple forms of cancer, even leading her young daughter to believe she was dying.
During the relationship, Leonard gave McPherson nearly £25,000 for what he believed was cancer treatment. He also bought her a £30,000 Rolex watch, telling the court it felt wrong to deny someone a final wish. But the entire illness was a fabrication. Instead of spending the money on medical bills, McPherson splashed out on a breast enlargement in Manchester and a lavish holiday to an Austrian resort.
Faking Illness While Climbing Mountains
The deception began back in 2017 when McPherson first told Leonard she had cervical cancer. Over the years, she expanded the lie to include claims of ovarian, bowel, colon and breast cancer. In one particularly cruel twist, she claimed to have undergone a hysterectomy in 2020—only to be spotted climbing a mountain two days later.
She also told Leonard she needed a mastectomy, which turned out to be a cover for breast augmentation surgery. On New Year’s Eve 2021, she said she was attending treatment but instead travelled to Coventry for a night out. Throughout it all, Leonard remained supportive, even attempting to arrange private treatment with one of the UK’s top cancer specialists—an offer she declined, insisting she would stick with the NHS.
Impact On Family And Friends
The emotional fallout went far beyond money. Leonard told Derby Crown Court how he had received calls from his partner’s daughter’s school, where the child had broken down in tears, terrified her mother was going to die. In court, Leonard described how the lies stole eight and a half years of his life, leaving him emotionally scarred.
Others had also suspected McPherson for years. Social media messages later revealed she had made similar cancer claims as far back as her school days in the Highlands. One person wrote: “She’s been claiming ovarian cancer since she was 16. I’m glad her 20 years of lies finally caught up with her.”
Court Sentence And Final Statement
McPherson admitted to fraud and was sentenced earlier this year to a two-year community order and placed under a five-night-a-week curfew. Now, following a compensation ruling, she has been ordered to repay Leonard £30,714 by January 5.
After the hearing, Leonard said: “It’s finally over. Today marks the end of eight and a half challenging years. She never had cancer, and it has now come to light she has been making it up since she was in secondary school. She has been exposed for the horrible, lying, manipulative individual she is.”
