Former Soldier Orchestrates DNA Test Fraud to Evade Child Support Payments
A court has heard how a father, Gareth Lloyd, 59, a former soldier, paid a friend to take a DNA test in a deliberate attempt to avoid paying child maintenance fees for a baby he fathered with an ex-girlfriend. The elaborate scheme unfolded after the mother applied to the Child Maintenance Service in 2023, naming Lloyd as the father, despite the child being born earlier.
Deceptive Plot and Initial Denials
Lloyd, who had been in a relationship with the woman between 2012 and 2018, strongly denied paternity when informed of the child's birth. He refused to take a DNA test and even claimed he had no idea who the mother was. However, when faced with a Deduction of Earnings Order, he agreed to provide a sample but instead enlisted the help of his friend, Phillip Jones, 61.
Prosecutor Harry Dickens told Cardiff Crown Court that Jones visited a clinic in Llandaff, Cardiff, posing as Lloyd to give a DNA sample. The test result came back negative, but the mother refuted this, prompting an investigation.
Investigation Unravels the Conspiracy
Staff at the clinic did not recognise Lloyd when shown a photo, and analysis of his phone revealed communications with Jones in the days leading up to the test. It was also discovered that Jones's phone had been in the vicinity of the clinic on the day the sample was given. Both men were ordered to take further tests, which confirmed that Jones had indeed submitted the sample fraudulently.
Jones was arrested at his home on May 30, 2025, and admitted his involvement. Lloyd was arrested later after returning from the Middle East, where he works, and gave 'no comment' answers during his interview. The potential loss to the Child Maintenance Service and the victims was estimated at around £12,426.
Sentencing and Remorse
Both men pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud. Jones has six previous convictions of a dissimilar nature, while Lloyd was of previous good character. Owen Williams, representing Lloyd, stated that his client was 'deeply remorseful and ashamed' and had repaid more than £10,000 of the defrauded amount. It was also noted that Lloyd now has a relationship with his daughter and served 35 years in the military, including tours in Northern Ireland, Afghanistan, and Iraq.
Cora Sorenson, for Jones, argued that her client could be dealt with by a suspended sentence. Judge Vanessa Francis criticised both men, telling Lloyd, 'You were only thinking of yourself, not about your former partner, not about the child you fathered, not about the honour you had lived in through your adult life by serving your country.' She added that Jones acted 'totally dishonourably' in supporting the scheme.
Court Outcomes
Lloyd was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work. Jones received a sentence of three months imprisonment, also suspended for 12 months. The case highlights the serious consequences of attempting to defraud child maintenance systems through deceptive means.
