Stephen Lord, 27, persuaded his pal Simon Brooks, 31, to take DNA test on his behalf in a bid to dodge child support – hoping a negative result would free him of the responsibility
A deadbeat dad tried to dodge paying child support by having his friend take a DNA test for him – only for both men to be slapped with suspended jail terms.
Stephen Lord, 27, persuaded his pal Simon Brooks, 31, to take the test on his behalf, hoping a negative result would free him of the responsibility. A court heard Lord’s plan was “doomed to failure” when the friend who was pretending to be him attached a photograph of himself to the paperwork. The pair’s scheme fell apart when the child’s mother was told the DNA sample was not a match. During a later Child Maintenance Service video call, she recognised the photo linked to the sample was not Lord. Sentencing the pair at Hull Crown Court, Judge John Thackray KC said: “This was an act of gross stupidity doomed to failure.” He said Lord’s attempt to avoid paying child maintenance was a “ridiculous idea”, adding: “You should be thoroughly ashamed of yourself”.
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Lord, 27, of Hull, East Yorkshire, and Brooks, 31, of Leicester, admitted conspiracy to defraud the Department for Work and Pensions between September 21, 2022 and March 13, 2024. Brooks admitted fraud by posing as Lord on November 1, 2022.
Harry Bradford, prosecuting, said the mum had listed Lord as liable for paying the child maintenance in an application made on June 10, 2022. Denying responsibility, Lord insisted a private DNA test years earlier had already cleared him. But the Child Maintenance Service ordered him to complete a further test on November 1, 2022.
Doctors believed the man who arrived that day and made signed declarations was Lord. But it was Brooks who had attended, the court heard. Brooks even supplied a photograph of himself to back up the lie. When it was rejected as inadequate, he agreed to post another so it could be attached to the DNA paperwork.
The ruse initially appeared to work, with the child’s mother receiving the results and assuming they must be correct, as the test required him to attend in person.
But the facade collapsed during a later videocall with the Child Maintenance Service, when she was shown the photo linked to the sample and immediately recognised it as Brooks, not Lord. Further checks confirmed the deception. Lord was arrested on March 13 last year, followed by Brooks five days later.
Lord at first denied sending anyone else to take the test, but police seized his phone and DNA. Forensic work confirmed the November 1, 2022 sample matched Brooks, not him. Messages on Brooks’ phone revealed the men had discussed the plot and edited a photograph to send to the clinic. The fraud deprived the mother of £4,637 in maintenance, though this sum will be repaid. Had the plan succeeded, her loss could have reached £29,132.
Stephen Robinson, mitigating, said that Lord pleaded guilty and had no previous convictions. Mr Robinson added: “This was an act of gross stupidity doomed to failure but serious. The defendant knows that he needs to be punished.” Samantha Laws, representing Brooks, said: “This was an act of gross stupidity from both of these defendants.”
Lord was handed an eight-month suspended prison sentence and 150 hours’ unpaid work. Brooks was given nine months suspended and 100 hours’ unpaid work.