I was stuck in controlling and abusive relationship with wicked girlfriend who lied that she had cancer for eight years so I would lavish thousands of pounds on her

A wealthy businessman ruthlessly conned by his girlfriend - who tried to fleece him of his cash by falsely claiming to have cancer - has told how he was stuck in a 'controlling and abusive' relationship. John Leonard arriving at Derby Crown Court for the sentencing of his ex-girlfriend Laura McPherson avoided a prison sentence when she appeared before Derby Crown Court on Wednesday and was instead given a community order 'In January 2022 I became 99% certain that my ex partner, Laura Macpherson, had been lying to everyone about having cancer since 2017. Laura McPherson claimed she had cervical, ovarian, colon, bowel and breast cancer The 35-year-old told company director Laura McPherson arrives at Derby Crown Court Mr Leonard, 44, then quoted the remarks of Judge Jonathan Straw as he sentenced McPherson. Mr Leonard said his ex-girlfriend was a 'wicked and devious liar who embarked on five years of deceit' At the time of her lies, McPherson was working as a marketing director for her boyfriend’s company, Ultra Events, which has helped raise over £39 million for charitable causes Mr Leonard's sister, Lauren, posted a tribute to him. McPherson was handed a community order and will be subject to a 7pm to 6am curfew for five nights of the week after pleading guilty to fraud at an earlier hearing Mr Leonard runs Ultra Events, a platform for charities, and gave her £24,248.52 for treatments he thought might save her life In an emotional victim impact statement read to the court, Mr Leonard said she had stolen eight years of his life and left him with 'feelings of total despair, wracked by self-doubt and emotionally scarred' She was, he said, a compulsive liar who had told friends and even her young daughter that she had cancer.