Cancer scheme case in limbo

The case of a St Catharines woman who pleaded guilty to defrauding a senior of nearly $200,000 in a fake cancer scheme has taken an unexpected turn.

Michelle Meade, 39, (above) was supposed to be sentenced for the crime yesterday, but the assistant crown attorney asked for her guilty plea to be struck down and move towards trial because the pre-sentence report showed Meade doesn’t accept responsibility for the crime.

She conned Jean Beausaert, 78, from Walsingham, in the Simcoe area, into re-mortgaging her house and maxing out her credit cards after telling her she had terminal brain cancer. The case returns to court of February 4th to decide whether to go ahead with sentencing or start over.