A callous mother tricked doctors into carrying out invasive surgery on her children and forced her son to fake symptoms of autism so she could claim hundreds of thousands of pounds in benefits.

The 48-year-old, of Croydon, spent at least a decade deceiving medics into carrying out unnecessary treatment on her young son and daughter, who even had gastronomy tubes fitted to their stomachs despite both being able to eat normally.

She was found guilty of child cruelty and fraud yesterday following a trial at Croydon Crown Court.

The court heard the woman’s son was given steroids after she falsely claimed he suffered from "severe" asthma - just one of the many "staggering" lies that allowed to claim more than £85,000 in disability allowance between October 2003 and February 2014.

Over the course of at least 10 years, the selfish mother presented her young son and daughter to various doctors, health and education professionals, maintaining that they suffered from serious health conditions.

The claimed symptoms and complaints included severe asthma, autism, urology problems and gastric complications.

On one occasion, she encouraged her young son to act in a way she thought was consistent with the symptoms of autism and resisted attempts by the child's nursery to toilet-train him.

But despite her claims of behaviours he displayed at home, none of the traits of autism were witnessed by staff at the child's school.

Her son also did not exhibit the chronic wheezing and breathlessness symptomatic of the severe asthma she told doctors he suffered.

The Metropolitan Police launched a “complex” three-year investigation into the mother's cruel treatment after a child protection referral in May 2013.

As well as falsely claiming disability living allowance, she also fraudulently pocketed income support benefit - despite living with her partner, who was earning up to £38,000 a year.

The total amount of benefits she illegally claimed was £375,198.02.

Detectives attended the couple's home address in May 2013 and arrested the pair on suspicion of child cruelty and neglect.

During a search of the property officers found a large amount of unused prescribed medication including asthma drugs, nappies and gastro milk and feeding equipment - a haul estimated to have cost the NHS £145,870.

Some 114 witnesses gave evidence at the woman's trial at Croydon Crown Court.

Detective Sergeant Stuart Parsons, of the Met’s sexual offences, exploitation and child abuse unit, said: "It is staggering to think that the mother's willful actions resulted in the children undergoing unnecessary surgical and medical interventions. She lied at every opportunity, presenting herself as a lone parent coping with ill and vulnerable children.

“The reality was that she resided with her partner and fabricated her children's conditions for personal financial gain.

"I am pleased she has been convicted today and now faces a considerable term of imprisonment."

The woman, who cannot be named to protect the anonymity of her children, was found guilty of four counts of cruelty to a person under 16, two counts of obtaining money transfer by deception, seven counts of making a false representation, and two counts of fraud by false representation.

She will be sentenced on August 15.

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