Cruel UK mother jailed for torturing healthy son
A 'sadistic' mother was jailed in England today for subjecting her healthy son to '24 hour-a-day torture' by pretending he was severely ill to gain publicity and cash.
Lisa Hayden-Johnson, from Brixham, Devon, was said to have 'revelled' in the national attention her young son received,
The mother-of-two conned charities out of dream holidays and donations and secured meetings with royalty, celebrities and former UK prime minister Tony Blair.
She even successfully lobbied for her son - who she falsely claimed suffered from cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis and dysphagia among a litany of illnesses - to receive a Child of Courage Award in 2005.
The 35-year-old was jailed for three years and three months at Exeter Crown Court, having previously admitted child cruelty and perverting the course of justice.
