Woman who faked cancer to scam money through Givealittle fails to show in court

The 24-year-old has failed to show up for her sentencing again. File photo

A woman who faked cancer to scam nearly $20,000 through donation website Givealittle has failed to show up for her sentencing again - to the frustration of a judge.

The 24-year-old, who has interim name suppression, has had a medical reason for her absence from court on every occasion since her arrest.

In September last year, police laid three charges of obtaining a pecuniary advantage totalling more than $15,000 by deception and a fourth charge of obtaining a lease of a car by deception.

Weeks later another charge was laid alleging she also obtained whiteware worth $4462 by deception.

Her case has been called in Auckland District Court half a dozen times and guilty pleas were entered by defence lawyer Alex Steedman in her absence months ago.

She was due to be sentenced again today and Judge Claire Ryan voiced her exasperation at having to put the matter off once more.

"This nonsense by your client and abuse of court process has to stop," she said.

"It's completely unacceptable."

Judge Ryan told the lawyer she would conduct a "bedside sentencing" if she had to.

Various reports have been placed before the court as to the defendant's mental and physical problems and the judge made the rare move of having the police verify their authenticity.

The decision shocked Mr Steedman who said it was "rather unusual".

"I've been hearing this for the last year," Judge Ryan said. "There's always been special conditions, special concerns and special illnesses. The time has come for her to be sentenced."

She said the disorder the woman had been diagnosed with was not "life-threatening" and referred to fictitious elements of it.

Mr Steedman previously told the court the defendant had been hospitalised with stress-induced paralysis, which had affected the entire right side of her body.

He said that, despite suppression, the 24-year-old had been hounded on social media and had deleted her Facebook profile as a result.

Judge Ryan questioned the validity of some of those complaints.

The matter was adjourned for two months and the judge said if the defendant did not show up for her next court date a warrant would be issued for her arrest.