A Northern Ireland man claimed to have three different cancers to receive GoFundMe donations; he spent the £3,280 on a dog and Liverpool football matches

A man from Strabane in Northern Ireland has been given 18 months’ probation and 100 hours of community service after admitting he falsely claimed to have three different cancers while a GoFundMe page raised £3,280 on his behalf. According to The Irish Times, Stephen Patrick Doherty, aged 29, spent the money on a dog and on travelling to Liverpool matches. The page was set up by a friend who was acting in good faith, and Doherty handed himself in to the police. At Derry Magistrate’s Court on Friday, Deputy District Judge Alan White also ordered him to pay £250 in compensation to the woman who set up the page and £400 in compensation to the Foyle Hospice.How did a fake cancer claim raise £3,280 on GoFundMeDoherty handed himself in to police and told them he had committed fraud by claiming to have three different cancers. According to the report, he said a GoFundMe page was set up on his behalf by a friend in good faith.The page raised £3,280. Reportedly, Doherty told police he had spent the money on a dog and on travelling to Liverpool matches.Doherty told police he came forward because the local community had discovered he was not ill. The report said he also did not want the woman who set up the page to be blamed for anything.The court heard, the newspaper reported, that the woman was "really upset" and had no contact with Doherty, as she felt she had been taken advantage of. A prosecution spokesperson told the court that Doherty knew he did not have cancer when the page was set up.Northern Ireland man punished for a fake cancer GoFundMe scamDefence counsel Stephen Mooney told the court it was difficult to find the right adjective for the offence, but that there was no doubt it was so serious that an immediate custodial sentence was possible. The barrister said Doherty wanted to apologise and had handed himself in to police. He also said his client had come to adverse media attention.Deputy District Judge Alan White said the court had limited choices and that he could jail Doherty, but only for a short period. The judge imposed an enhanced combination order of 18 months' probation and 100 hours of community service. He also ordered Doherty to pay £250 in compensation to the woman who set up the page and £400 in compensation to the Foyle Hospice.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.