A woman who defrauded a charity by fabricating her job references and later falsely claiming she had been diagnosed with cancer to avoid her duties has been sentenced to two years in prison.
Claire Alderton, 48, from Portsmouth, received the sentence at Portsmouth Crown Court after admitting to committing fraud by false representation.
She had dishonestly submitted two fabricated references, including using fake emails, to secure a position at the charity George’s Rockstars.
Alderton was appointed as a trusts and foundations fundraiser in June 2024, having used these deceptive methods.
During her tenure, she further deceived the organisation by falsely claiming to have submitted vital grant applications, a key part of her role.
A Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said: “In December 2024, Alderton told her employer that she had been diagnosed with cancer and stopped attending work, she then stopped responding to any contact from the charity.
“The charity contacted the foundation that Alderton said she had secured a grant from, only to find out that no application had ever been made.
“They then made contact with Alderton’s referees through LinkedIn, who informed them that they did not write the references she had provided, and that the emails which were allegedly from them were fake.”
Amy O’Shaughnessy, who co-founded the charity after losing her son George to Leukaemia in 2019, said: “To target charities, secure employment through deception, and fabricate a cancer diagnosis to the mother and founder of an organisation established in memory of a child who bravely fought that very disease is truly abhorrent.
“Furthermore, to falsify funding applications meant to support seriously ill children in hospitals is a profound betrayal of public trust.
“George’s Rockstars was created to preserve my son’s legacy and provide music therapy to families navigating their darkest hours in hospitals.
“While our services face immense demand, I have had to work tirelessly simply to prevent his legacy from going under due to her fraudulent actions.
“We have fought incredibly hard to ensure that, despite the gravity of this deception, our support for children and families remains uninterrupted.
“Personally, uncovering the sheer depth of these lies has been emotionally devastating. A custodial sentence is the absolute least she deserves for exploiting the charity sector and the vulnerabilities of a grieving family.
“We are deeply grateful to the police and the justice system for their rigorous work in ensuring accountability and securing this conviction.”
Pc Emma Thomas, from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary’s Central Fraud Unit, said: “I am pleased with this result and to see Alderton put behind bars for her actions.
“To knowingly and purposefully target the charity sector for personal gain is an appalling crime and one for which Alderton deserved to face justice for.
“Her actions have caused both financial and emotional suffering, and I hope that prison gives her time to reflect on the consequences of her choices.”
