A woman has been sentenced to six months in prison for falsely claiming more than £3 million from the Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust. Kae Burnell-Chambers, 44, took legal action against the trust after undergoing spinal surgery in 2016. She alleged that negligence from the hospital left her dependent on a walking stick. Despite this claim, investigations discovered videos of her walking without any support and taking part in national body painting conventions. The High Court in London was told about her admission of contempt of court in July, leading to the pronouncement of her sentence and an order to pay £135,000 towards the trust’s legal expenses. Burnell-Chambers’ original medical condition, cauda equina syndrome, was treated immediately in the same year, but she alleged that hospital negligence left her incapacitated. The trust’s advocate, Sadie Crapper, suggested that Burnell-Chambers had exaggerated her symptoms to maximize her compensation payout.
This story was adapted by The Lincoln Post from original reporting by BBC.
