A healthy conwoman who swindled £34,000 from her ex by pretending she needed life-saving encephalitis treatment has narrowly escaped jail.
Marta Szymanska, 43, duped James Andrews into believing she had the dangerous brain-swelling condition with a 50-50 chance of survival, even getting a male friend to call him on Christmas Day masquerading as a surgeon.
Chester Crown Court heard how over two years she roped in a string of different men to ring Mr Andrews posing as doctors and demanding private medical fees - even once claiming she had miscarried a baby.
Mr Andrews, of Chester, ended up suicidal, borrowing money from friends and family and nearly lost his house due to the scam and by the time he discovered Szymanska was healthy, she had blown the money on alcohol.
This week Szymanska, of Blacon, Chester, faced four years jail after admitting 10 fraud charges but instead was freed with a 20 month suspended jail sentence after probation officers cited her "difficult childhood."
Judge Steven Everett told her: "You conned Mr Andrews in a particularly sophisticated and cruel way pretending that you were ill and pretending that there were difficulties.
"He accepted what was being said and was getting letters purporting to be sent by doctors persuading him to hand money over.
"Without hesitation he handed the money over. It is clear nothing is left and I strongly suspect most went on alcohol.
"This was a truly mean offence. You accept what you did was wrong and there is some remorse. You have your chance. I suggest you take it."
Her scam began in 2021 after the couple split up following an five year "on-off" relationship where the victim cared for her, even washing and bathing her.
Prosecutor Will Griffin said: "The two remained in contact following their separation in February 2021, but in September she called Mr Andrews saying her employer had run away without paying her wages.
"Mr Andrews sent £820. The defendant consistently said that she would pay the money back.
"Between October 2021 and July 2023, the complainant received numerous communications from the defendant or those acting on her behalf that she was very ill and required life-saving medical treatment.
"A ‘Dr Jahavar Singh’ claimed she required lifesaving medical treatment as she had encephalitis of the brain and been placed in an induced coma.
"He claimed that he himself had paid out of his own pocket and asked for Mr Andrews to pay the costs to later be reimbursed by NHS England.
"The defendant called every few days thereafter asking for more money for medication and treatment.
"In December 2021 Mr Andrews received a phonecall from someone claiming to be a nurse called ‘Eva’ who said that the defendant’s compensation and disability benefit were due.
"On Christmas Day 2021, Mr Andrews received messages and a phone call from a male claiming to be ‘Dr Singh’ and saying that more medication and injections were required and that payment for these was due.
"In one of the phone calls with someone claiming to be the defendant’s doctor, Mr Andrews was told she had a 50:50 chance of surviving. He had also been told that she had had a miscarriage.
"Mr Andrews received emails in 2023 from fake NHS and Citizens’ Advice Bureau accounts to support the defendant’s false claims and give reasons for why the money had not been returned to him as promised."
The court heard in 2023 Mr Andrews finally discovered she was lying to him when he received a phone call from a social worker who told him the defendant was physically well and did not have any medical conditions.
The prosecutor added: "Mr Andrews now describes the worry that he felt and the way he was depressed and lost weight at the time when he was consumed by suicidal thoughts.
"He accrued debts as a result and had to borrow money from friends and family. He lost friends. He nearly lost his house. Some nights he could not afford food."
Szymanska, with a previous conviction for biting a policewoman during a bust up at a police station, gave a 'no comment' interview when quizzed about the fraud.
She was also required to complete 150 hours unpaid work, 20 days of rehabilitation activity, a 12 months of mental health treatment programme and banned by a restraining order from contacting Mr Andrews indefinitely."
