Woman in baby deception faces prison

A woman accused of deceiving two couples into giving her money for her services as a surrogate has appeared before a UK Magistrates' Court. Moira Greenslade faces charges on three counts of obtaining money by deception and three offences under the Adoption Act. It is alleged that, while pregnant, she tried to sell her unborn baby to two different couples, using the Internet to set up the deals.

Technically this means the agreement was not a surrogacy arrangement but would be payment for an adoption, which is what was advertised by Ms Greenslade on the American website she used. Advertising for or as a surrogate is illegal under the UK's Surrogacy Arrangements Act of 1985, as are payments for surrogacy services other than for 'reasonable expenses'. The court also told her, however, that she is also accused of making 'arrangements for the adoption of a child when you were not an adoption agency'.

Ms Greenslade, aged 33, from West Yorkshire, is accused of taking a total of £2,500 from two couples in September and October last year. It is claimed that she deceived the couples, from Scotland and Wales, into believing that she was continuing a surrogacy agreement separately made with each of them. One couple paid her £1,500 in cash last September, and the other, paid her two installments of £500 each in September and October 2003.

The woman was arrested in hospital after giving birth to a baby girl in December last year. The baby was taken into care. In this, the preliminary hearing of her case, the court granted her release on conditional bail and she is to appear again at the same court on 29 March for a full hearing. If she is convicted, she faces a prison sentence of up to ten years.