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A feckless father who sent a man who looked a bit like him to a court ordered paternity test has been convicted of fraud.

Thomas Kenny was in a relationship when his mistress became pregnant but she refused an abortion and the love-rat didn't want to pay child maintenance.

Birmingham Crown Court heard Kenny already had one child with his long term partner, and she was pregnant with his second when he had the affair.

Kenny put pressure on the second woman to get rid of the unborn child, the court was told.

When the time came to take a DNA test ordered by the Child Support Agency, he tried to dodge his responsibility.

Judge Philip Parker QC said he could not determine whether it had been the defendant's idea or the person who had been sent, possibly a work colleague, who had a physical similarity to Kenny.

The fraud came to light when Kenny was arrested in June last year but even then he continued to deny being the father, reports the Birmingham Mail.

The judge said: "You are plainly the author of your own misfortunes. I have read references from people who suggest that you are normally a well behaved individual but the facts show that you can be thoroughly dishonest and highly manipulative.

"I know you are said to be the loving father of two children by your long standing relationship but this case shows you were prepared to disown a child of your own for financial gain. Morally you can not sink lower than that."

(Image: PA)

Judge Parker said Kenny had caused an enormous amount of distress to the mother of the child, who no longer wanted anything to do with him.

He said he had also caused a substantial amount of financial difficulties and problems and quite a complex investigation to be carried out to find out the truth.

Heidi Kubic, defending, said: "He is obviously a young man who has made a big mistake in response to personal circumstances and the threat of losing contact with his two sons from his first relationship.

"He is a man who has been under enormous pressure and stress and has spent a number of months contemplating the prospect of going to custody."

The 25-year-old of Stroud Road, Shirley, previously admitted conspiracy to defraud and was sentenced to six months suspended for 12 months.

He was also ordered to pay £885 compensation and £500 costs.

The judge told Kenny: "How much you would have got away with defrauding the state is difficult to know, but is a minimum of £5,000 if you remained unemployed for the 18 years of the child's life."