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Home » News Centre » Press Releases » Maxine Carr pleads guilty to deception

Maxine Carr pleads guilty to deception

10/05/2004

Maxine Carr has today admitted 20 counts of deception and obtaining pecuniary advantage between 1996 and 2002.

Cambridgeshire CPS believes that the guilty pleas clearly indicate the strength of the case against Maxine Carr, said Marion Bastin CPS Cambridgeshire's reviewing lawyer.

Mrs Bastin said: "I am pleased with the admission of guilt today. Maxine Carr deliberately and consistently lied on a number of occasions for personal gain.

"Miss Carr obtained 3,800 by deception during a six year period dating back to her time in Grimsby when she was claiming housing, job seekers allowance and income support benefits to which she was not entitled.

"She also lied in a number of application forms to obtain employment and in particular, she gave false details in her application form to obtain a position as a temporary teaching assistant at St Andrew's School in Soham where she befriended Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.

"Police officers investigating the Soham murders discovered allegations concerning deception and obtaining a pecuniary advantage relating to Miss Carr in October 2002. The file was passed to Cambridgeshire CPS for consideration in case of any impact on the Soham investigation.

"The CPS considered there was a possible danger that any publicity arising from these allegations might have an adverse effect upon the trial of Ian Huntley and Maxine Carr in relation to the deaths of Holly wells and Jessica Chapman. A decision was taken in 2002 not to proceed at that stage for that reason."

Since the end of the trial in December 2003, Mrs Bastin said the CPS had re-examined the original decision.

She said: "I have reviewed the evidence most carefully and considered the advice of independent counsel. I was satisfied that there was enough evidence for a prosecution to be brought and that it was in the public interest to do so."

  1. At Nottingham Crown Court Maxine Carr has pleaded guilty to five counts of obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception, two counts of attempting to obtain a money transfer by deception, ten counts of obtaining money transfer by deception and three counts of furnishing false information. She was sentenced to a three year Community Rehabilitation Order.
  2. Maxine Carr was convicted of two charges of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice at the Old Bailey on December 17, 2003 and was sentenced to three years imprisonment. At the same time, Ian Huntley was convicted of the murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman and was sentenced to life imprisonment. All verdicts were by a majority of 11-1.
  3. For further details contact CPS Press Office on 0207 796 8079.