A former charity worker who lied about her cancer diagnosis has been jailed for two years after providing false employment references to make financial gain.
Claire Alderton, 48 and of Portsmouth, Hampshire, was sentenced at a hearing in Portsmouth Crown Court last month after pleading guilty to creating the fake references.
Alderton was offered the trusts and foundations fundraiser position at the children’s charity George’s Rockstars in 2024, the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said.
The charity funds and provides specialised music therapy to critically ill or disabled children staying in hospitals.
Alderton was asked to provide two references from previous employers and was subsequently hired in June 2024.
She told her employer that she had successfully submitted applications for grants as her role required.
“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 police said.
“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.”
Alderton was arrested, charged and admitted to committing fraud by false representation.
The court also heard that Alderton had lied about her cancer diagnosis.
Amy O’Shaughnessy co-founded George’s Rockstars after her son died of leukaemia in 2020.
“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,” O’Shaughnessy said.
“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.”
O’Shaughnessy said George’s Rockstars had remained uninterrupted and staff had “fought incredibly hard” to ensure charity kept going.
“Personally, uncovering the sheer depth of these lies has been emotionally devastating,” she said.
“A custodial sentence is the absolute least she deserves for exploiting the charity sector and the vulnerabilities of a grieving family.”