Cancer con-artist escapes jail after fleecing thousands from caring strangers…

A woman who pretended to have cancer to get money has walked free from court.

CANCERSTOCK

by Closer Staff |
Published on

Danielle Watson, 24, said she had a 15 per cent chance at survival and incredibly managed to convince her fiancé, Chris, and her family that she was dying.

Her web of lies began in January 2012, after she had routine surgery for polycystic ovaries.

Following the operation, she used her bandages to convince people she had stage four cervical cancer.

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At the time she's claimed to have said: “As soon as I was told I had stage four cancer I thought about Jade Goody and what happened to her.

“She was older than me and she still died. Is this going to happen to me?

“A 15 per cent chance doesn't sound a lot to most people, but to me it's all I have. I'm not giving up. I'm 21 and have my whole life ahead of me. I want to build a life with Chris and have children. I want to live.”

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Watson, from Rowhedge near Colchester, Essex, raised over £6000 online from strangers believing they were helping her pay for treatment that was not available on the NHS.

Her sickening con also saw businesses hand out freebies – including a cut price wedding so she could walk down the aisle before she ‘died’ – thought to be worth up to £100,000.

Despite her callous lies, Watson – a mother of two whose husband is standing by her – walked free with a 12 month suspended sentence and 200 hours community service at Basildon Crown Court yesterday.

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Recorder Gerard Pounder said: “At any time you could have told the truth and brought to an end this campaign of deceit.”

Watson wept in the dock and apologised as she left the court but for her victims it is too little too late.

“I think it is an absolute travesty she hasn't been made an example of,” Victoria Oliver, who’d raised £2000 for Watson told the Mirror.

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“She conned hundreds of people. It is disgusting that she has shown absolutely no remorse and is now effectively walking away scot free. A friend told me about Danielle's situation and I really felt for her as I have family who have been affected by cancer.”

It’s reported that Watson now hopes to pay back her victims.

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