A WOMAN from Caerphilly who faked terminal cancer to con a charity into paying for her wedding ceremony has avoided jail.

Carla Evans, 29, pretended to have bladder cancer, thyroid cancer, and liver and kidney failure to defraud the charity Wish Upon a Wedding, which gives people with terminal illnesses a chance to have a memorable family event.

Evans used social media to claim that she was dying and ask for help. She was then contacted by a volunteer from the charity who, taken in by her lies, offered to organise a vow renewal ceremony worth £15,000.

The charity asked Evans to pay £500 toward the ceremony's cost, and asked for proof of her diagnosis in return.

This was when Evans' story unravelled – she forged a letter from an NHS consultant, prompting an investigation by the charity who then contacted the police.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) brought charges against Evans after receiving a file of evidence from a Gwent Police investigation involving the NHS Counter Fraud team.

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Evans pleaded guilty at Newport Magistrates’ Court and was sentenced today (August 16) at Cardiff Crown Court to a suspended prison sentence of 12 months.

Lisa Bennett, from the CPS, said: “Carla Evans callously took advantage of the sympathy afforded to a dying lady to try and con a very small charity out of money.

“Our prosecution was able to uncover the lies, but the depths she was willing to stoop have caused great hurt and damage to the charity volunteers, who believed her and gave up significant time and money to support someone they thought was gravely ill.

"We hope this conviction will bring some sense of justice to them.”