God bless the UK press. Only there will you see headlines like “Love Rat Dad Tried To Fake DNA Paternity Test Using Look-Alike.” For those uneducated in trashy British slang, “love rat” is just another fun way to call someone a cheat, which certainly describes Thomas Kenny.
The extremely fertile Kenny impregnated a woman while in a relationship with another woman who already had two of his kids. Rather than fess up to the cheating and pay child support, he first tried to pressure his cheaté to abort the child. When that didn’t work and the woman demanded a paternity test, he had an unknown accomplice show up with his ID to give DNA. Unfortunately for him, the scheme unraveled and he was taken to criminal court. Here’s the judge sharing what a high opinion he has of Kenny (via the Birmingham Mail):
He said he could not determine whether it had been the defendant’s idea or the person who had been sent, possibly a work colleague, who would have had a physical similarity to Kenny. The fraud came to light Kenny was arrested in June last year but even then he continued to deny being the father.
The judge continued “The effect of what you did was to seek to avoid payments to the child that was genuinely yours. You are plainly the author of your own misfortunes.”
“I have read references from people who suggest that you are normally a well behaved individual but the facts show that you can be thoroughly dishonest and highly manipulative. I know you are said to be the loving father of two children by your long standing relationship but this case shows you were prepared to disown a child of your own for financial gain. Morally you can not sink lower than that.”
Those of you thinking the idea was solid, but the execution must have been flawed, keep this in mind: Kenny ended up getting a six-month jail sentence (suspended for 12 months) and a £1385 ($2150 U.S.) fine. And yep, he’s still on the hook for child support.
(via the Birmingham Mail)