An individual pretended to be someone else and used a friend’s DNA to deceive a paternity test in an attempt to evade child support payments, according to court proceedings.
Gareth Lloyd, a former soldier aged 59, disputed being the father of a child when informed by an ex-partner about her pregnancy, instructing her to terminate the pregnancy. Subsequently, when the woman gave birth to a daughter, Lloyd pressured Phillip Jones, 61, also a former Welsh Guard, to provide his DNA for the paternity test.
However, their deception was uncovered after the woman insisted on Lloyd’s paternity, leading to an investigation.
During a court session, it was revealed that the child was born in 2023, and the woman applied to the Child Maintenance Service naming Lloyd as the father. Initially, Lloyd denied any association with the woman and refused a DNA test.
Following a legal order for employers to deduct child maintenance from his earnings, Lloyd agreed to undergo a DNA test. Subsequent testing involving samples from the woman, her daughter, and a man believed to be Lloyd resulted in a negative match. The woman contested the results, prompting an inquiry.
Further scrutiny revealed that Lloyd had been in communication with Jones around the time of the DNA tests. Investigations showed that Jones was present at the clinic during the tests. Both men were subjected to DNA testing, confirming Jones’ match with the clinic’s sample.
Jones confessed to taking the test to assist Lloyd. Lloyd, who had been working in the Middle East, was arrested upon his return to the UK and declined to provide a statement during questioning. The potential financial loss to the Child Maintenance Service and the victims was estimated at £12,426.
Both Lloyd, from Rumney, Cardiff, and Jones, from Tremorfa, Cardiff, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud. Lloyd, who had served in the military for 35 years with deployments in various regions, expressed remorse, repaid a significant portion of the defrauded amount, and established a relationship with his daughter.
Lloyd received a 12-month suspended sentence and was ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work. Jones was handed a three-month suspended prison sentence.
Judge Vanessa Francis criticized Lloyd for prioritizing himself over his responsibilities towards his former partner and child, highlighting his dishonorable actions. Addressing Jones, the judge condemned his betrayal of trust, emphasizing the stark contrast between his past honorable service and his current deceitful behavior.
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