A woman who had been led to believe her partner had gotten a vasectomy was given a rude awakening when she fell pregnant. Although, the whole thing turned out to just be the tip of the iceberg.
Coleen Greenwood had been dating her partner for two years, believing him to be called James Scott.
Advert
However, the 49-year-old mum from County Durham soon found that almost everything he'd told her about himself was a lie.
This includes him lying about his cancer diagnosis, his profession as a firefighter, and his vasectomy.
It turned out his real name was Greg Wilson and he lived on a nearby road as a father of three.
Advert
Opening up on the This Morning couch to Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, Greenwood explained how she had been convinced by his claims of having a vasectomy.
She said: "He was moving around and said it was very painful. I saw what looked like bruising, but I didn't get right up close and have a look but there was a little bit of gauze padding, he was in discomfort."
Greenwood was appearing on This Morning to promote her new book Playing With Fire: The true story of Fireman Scam.
When she fell pregnant two months after Wilson's vasectomy, she was horrified: "So it was just off the table when he did that, I thought it was such a selfless thing to do - he was 44 years old - he showed me the results and two months later I fell pregnant again.
Advert
"I was horrified, all his family and friends are going to think I cheated on him because you would, wouldn't you? You would have questions."
The couple had previously terminated a pregnancy, and Wilson convinced Greenwood that this new pregnancy was 'a miracle'.
Plans to get married in December 2016 were put on hold when Wilson allegedly found a lump on his testicles.
Advert
Greenwood had been told numerous falsehoods by Wilson, including that he was a brave fireman who once jumped from the window of a burning building with a child in his arms.
Soon, Greenwood discovered the truth about her partner and realised that James Scott was a total fabrication.
Her real partner was an unemployed soldier, who was spending four days a week with his wife of 13 years - all while telling Greenwood that he was away on work.
Reflecting on the relationship in a 2020 interview, Greenwood said: "I believed I was sharing my life with a wonderful, caring man, a true hero who risked his life as a firefighter."
Advert
In January, Wilson pleaded guilty to eight counts of fraud, which involved sums of £100,000.
Topics: This Morning, Sex and Relationships