A British man pleaded guilty this week to stealing 40,000 pounds from an elderly neighbor and pretending to be in a coma for two years to avoid charges, authorities said.
Alan Knight pleaded guilty after being charged with multiple counts of theft and making a false representation for gain, a Swansea Crown Court representative told ABC News. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 7.
Knight was arrested in 2012 for the alleged theft, a South Wales Police spokesman said.
But Knight delayed going to court by claiming to be a quadriplegic who had periodic seizures that left him in a comatose-state, police said. Since authorities were unable to get Knight in court, his trial was delayed until this week, police said.
However, an investigation revealed that Knight had been faking his symptoms, police said.
Knight and his wife, Helen Knight, even attempted to prove Knight’s medical condition by photographing themselves in their home with Knight appearing to be unconscious and surrounded by medical equipment.
However, earlier this week Knight was finally ordered to attend court in person. Once in the courtroom investigators revealed they had footage of Knight walking around on closed-circuit television without a neck brace, oxygen or a wheelchair, police said.
In images and video released to the news media, Knight is shown walking through a doorway with his family. After the evidence was presented, Knight then pleaded guilty to the charges.
Calls to a number listed in the name of Knight’s wife, Helen Knight, were not immediately returned.
Judge Paul Thomas, who was overseeing Knight’s case, said Knight’s injury claim was “unique” and wanted to discourage anyone else who might try it, according to the Daily Telegraph.
“Although a very accomplished and determined actor, he is in nothing like the condition he claims to be, and the conditions he claims to be suffering from are simply non-existent,” Thomas said in court, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Source: ABC News