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The extreme lengths man took to fool his wife into thinking he had cancer


A man has avoided jail after lying to his now ex-wife for nine years about having cancer and even swindling money from her mother.

Englishman David Carroll, 35, told his ex-wife Lucy Witchard, 31, he had leukaemia on meeting her in 2006, The Guardian reports.

Carroll also told Ms Witchard’s mum Linda Eccles the cancer was terminal in 2015 and she gave him more than $3600 to travel to the US for treatment.

Ms Witchard told the BBC Carroll wouldn’t let her go to chemotherapy sessions with him.

Englishman David Carroll, 35, lied to his now ex-wife Lucy Witchard, 31, for nine years. Source: Getty Images/file
Englishman David Carroll, 35, lied to his now ex-wife Lucy Witchard, 31, for nine years. Source: Getty Images/file

She said he told her she’d get “too emotional” attending the sessions and if she questioned it he threatened to leave her.

The 31-year-old’s suspicions grew while Carroll was in the US as he seemed to be enjoying a holiday.

Ms Witchard asked him about it and he went “ballistic”.

“He even got a work friend to call me pretending to be his doctor,” she told the BBC.

“I knew after that phone call that our marriage was over.”

Ms Eccles said she’s “heartbroken and devastated” by Carroll’s deceit.

Englishman David Carroll, 35, lied to his now ex-wife Lucy Witchard, 31, for nine years about having cancer. He also told her mum the cancer was terminal in 2015 and she gave him more than $3600 to go to the USA. Source: Getty Images (File pic)
Carroll got a friend to call his then ex-wife and pretend to be a doctor. Source: Getty Images/file

She told the Birmingham Mail she “rues the day” her daughter met Carroll.

“This has torn our lives apart and I am amazed that he has not been sent to jail,” Ms Eccles said.

“I just hope people read this and he is not able to con anyone else out of money by lying about dying of cancer. How could he do that – and to his own family?”

The marriage ended in 2015 and Carroll went on to join rugby club Aylestone Athletic RFC.

Former teammate Jonathan Hunt said Carroll told the club he had cancer and out of sympathy they gave him free food and drink “regularly”.

Englishman David Carroll, 35, lied to his now ex-wife Lucy Witchard, 31, for nine years about having cancer. He also told her mum the cancer was terminal in 2015 and she gave him more than $3600 to go to the USA. Source: Getty Images (File pic)
Carroll also joined a rugby club which ran charity events to assist him after he also told them he had cancer. Source: Getty Images/file

Two fundraising events were also organised to assist Carroll.

Mr Hunt added Carroll also told teammates he had a heart condition and needed surgery.

Carroll’s lawyer Gordon Heart claimed he was a man of good character but was suffering from a personality disorder and the fraud was a “one-off event”, The Guardian reported.

Last week he was sentenced to 26 weeks’ jail suspended for two years after being found guilty of fraud by false representation.

Carroll will also have to complete 180 hours of community service and pay more than $3600 in compensation.

The man also won’t be able to contact Ms Eccles or Ms Witchard after being handed a 12-month restraining order.