Shameless fraudster made pal pose as her cancer-stricken mum to buy £42k BMW

A SHAMELESS fraudster splurged £42k of her cancer-stricken mum's money on a flashy new BMW without her knowing - and forced a pal to pose as her.

Heidi Carruthers from Meir, Staffordshire, has been spared jail for stealing the eye-watering sum from her own mother who was later diagnosed with cancer.

The 35-year-old plunged her poor parent into debt when she bought an expensive BMW in September 2018.

The mum-of-one had dragged a friend to the car dealership to pose as her mum before faking a finance agreement with her details.

Heidi splashed the cash without her mother knowing a thing.

When her mum fell behind with her own payments, she worked out something was seriously wrong with her money - it was missing.

The older woman was credit blacklisted through no fault of her own, but because of her daughter's selfish actions.

Prosecutor Hunter Gray said: "The finance was in the sum of £42,000.

"In due course, payments were not made and the defendant's mother became aware of the arrangement taken out in her name. The defendant admitted what she had done."

Yet Heidi has been spared jail for her theft, after Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard of her miraculous behaviour change.

The judge sentenced her to 16 months in prison, suspended for 18 months.

The con artist has 34 previous convictions for 79 offences, but everything changed since the birth of her daughter in 2019, the court heard.

Heidi pleaded guilty to fraud, while her mum supported her in court.

Steve Hennessey, mitigating, said it was a single offence and it happened nearly four years ago.

He said: "She is embarrassed, ashamed and remorseful. She has been offence-free in the last three years. The birth of her daughter motivated her to remain drug-free."

He added that the defendant has not relapsed despite recent tragedies including her mum's cancer diagnosis and the loss of her sister and best friend.

As part of the suspended sentence Heidi must complete a rehabilitation activity requirement for 20 days and a four month electronically-monitored curfew from 9pm to 8am.

Judge Graeme Smith said: "The Heidi Carruthers I am sentencing today is a completely different person than the Heidi Carruthers who committed this offence in 2018.

"In September 2018 you arranged to attend a garage with a friend to buy a car on finance by having your friend masquerade as being your mother. You obtained a very valuable car at someone else's expense.

"Ultimately your mother was a victim. She received a credit blacklist.

"The other victim was the finance company who ultimately did not recover the bulk of the money owed to them, in excess of £42,000.

"A number of things have changed since then, the birth of your daughter, you have now had a mental health diagnosis and a care plan. Since 2019, your offending has ceased."