Judge decries ‘mob mentality:’ Suspended sentence for woman who faked cancer

CALGARY – A judge who on Monday spared a woman jail time for pretending to have cancer and claiming to be a wildfire evacuee was highly critical of the general public’s “mob mentality” toward her.

Judge Anne Brown handed Jennifer Halford a two-year suspended sentence. Both the Crown and the defence had asked for leniency.

Halford, who is 35, entered guilty pleas last year on seven counts of fraud. She had claimed that she had aggressive breast cancer and that she and her family had lost everything in the 2016 Fort McMurray forest fire in northern Alberta.

She received donations that included gift cards, food, clothing, babysitting services and beauty treatments.

The Crown said Halford was going through depression when she made the claims.

“Some of the things that happened to you after your crimes were highly publicized were absolutely shocking,” Brown said as Halford sobbed in the prisoner’s box.

“They are the most horrible manifestations of mob mentality. A mob doesn’t have a brain and nor does it have a compassionate heart.” the judge said.

“What happens when a mob acts is the behaviour is driven by fear and anger. You’ve been subjected to some of that and it’s a shocking and horrible thing.”

Halford, who declined an opportunity to address the court, blurted out at that point: “It’s scary.”

Prosecutor Jason Wuttunee told court that Halford’s motivation was not greed but a way to gain the attention and support she felt she needed.

He said Halford was sexually abused as a child, had to care for a disabled brother, took in several foster children over the years and lost her five-year-old daughter to cancer in 2011.

“There is much to be said about … the woman who has experienced a significant amount of tragedy in her life, a woman who was overwhelmed and unable to cope with circumstances,” said Wuttunee.

“She was obviously not well when she acted in what the public would see as a very outrageous manner.”

Outside court, the prosecutor applauded the judge for accepting the joint submission that suggested Halford had already suffered.

“Miss Halford had reported that she had suffered from death threats and other stigmas as a result of committing the crimes,” he said.

“Miss Halford was publicly shamed and disgraced as a result of doing what she has done and … what the judge is trying to say is mob mentality is not justified.”

Halford was ordered to pay restitution to her victims, to perform 100 hours of community service, to stay away from social media and to seek counselling.

“She’s actually made a number of steps in the past year. She’s seen some counsellors. She’s seen her family doctor,” said defence lawyer Michelle Parhar.

“She’s taking some courses and has gone back to school and all of that is going to lend itself to how she deals with this in the next two years.”

— Follow @BillGraveland on Twitter