A woman who claimed she had terminal cancer so friends would donate thousands to her dream wedding was jailed.
Toni Standen, 29, pretended to have ovarian cancer that had spread to parts of her body, the Liverpool Echo.
Friends even launched a GoFundMe page so after the final diagnosis she could celebrate the wedding she “deserved”.
Now Standen, originally from West Derby, has been jailed in Chester Magistrates’ Court for five months.
She was also directed to repay a donation of £ 2,000 made by a local businessman.
The 29-year-old from Widnes had previously pleaded guilty to fraud.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said that in June 2015, Standen told two of her friends, Ashlea Rowson and Jennifer Douglas, that she had been diagnosed with terminal vaginal cancer.
She regularly briefed her friends on her treatment with such clarity and detail that the condition was never questioned.
Toni Standen, 29, from West Derby, claimed her ovarian cancer later spread to other parts of her body and she was given a final diagnosis.
(Image: CPS)
She shared pictures on social media after shaving her head to look like she was undergoing treatment.
Her seemingly heartbreaking story was covered by the Liverpool ECHO and the Mirror.
Standen raised £ 8,344 through the crowdfunding site and through gifts such as flowers and cars for the wedding.
Toni Standen posted online updates on her alleged “cancer fight”
(Image: Screengrab | Spiegel)
She pulled the strings of her heart by saying that she wanted her father Derek, who really died of cancer, to accompany her to the altar.
Derek died before the wedding, but a video he recorded was played on the big day.
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Guests said that Standen cracked gags after playing the recording.
One guest said: “After hearing the laborious words of her father, she got up and gave an error-free speech, even cracking a few jokes.
“Your mother and brother were split up. We had all just heard a message from the Bride’s Father beyond.
“Toni even got a video message from Everton FC that came from one of the top players. She was laughing the whole time.”
After the wedding, suspicions about Standen’s condition grew.
Toni Standen, 29, from West Derby, claimed her ovarian cancer later spread to other parts of her body and she was given a final diagnosis.
(Image: CPS)
Finally, in a three-way conversation with her friends that they recorded, she admitted what she had done.
In the call, she admitted that she did not and never had cancer.
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On the subject of matching items
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On the subject of matching items
In a text message to friends after admitting her betrayal, she said, “I love you both, I am grateful for everything over the past few years.
“I am very sorry for all of this, I am embarrassed and my heart is breaking and right now I am fighting. There is so much I want to say but I am having trouble where to start.
“Right now I don’t know if Jim and I are going to get a divorce, I don’t blame him for doing it, and I don’t blame you two if this is the end, I totally understand and somehow have to do go on through “
Neil Colville, Senior District Attorney for CPS Mersey Cheshire, told ECHO: “Toni Standen invented a terminal illness to gain compassion and then watched her friends raise money to support her in her final years. With this money she financed a wedding and a vacation.
“Her own father was really sick, but her condition was a fraud. She seems to have digged herself deeper and deeper into the deception over the years and seemed unable to tell the truth or put an end to the deception.
“A local businessman donated £ 2,000 because he was moved by their plight. He said in a personal statement from the victim that he would think twice before donating to this type of charity again.
“This was a nifty scam that went on for several years and devastated her friends and others. You feel betrayed and betrayed.
“It is clear that this had a devastating effect on Ms. Standen as well. But it is her own fault and will now spend Christmas and a few months after that behind bars. “
Commenting on the verdict, Judge Sanders said, “You further embellished this web of lies and said you had weeks to live.
“I don’t accept that you couldn’t stop. Not only did you not stop, but you made it worse by giving newspaper interviews to generate public sympathy.
“You used the money raised through the generosity of strangers to fund a wedding and vacation. You took money over many months.
“Any right-thinking member of society would be appalled by your behavior.”
