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Abusive boyfriend, 38, faked terminal cancer to stop girlfriend leaving him

Kevin Bevis pretended to have cancer to stop his girlfriend Karen Gregory from leaving him (SWNS)
Kevin Bevis pretended to have cancer to stop his girlfriend Karen Gregory from leaving him (SWNS)

A council worker faked cancer to stop his girlfriend from leaving him, even walking with a cane and taking vitamin pills as daily "medication."

Kevin Bevis, 38, lied about being terminally ill to convince Karen Gregory, 50, to stay with him.

The father-of-three’s deceit came to an end when his partner contacted police after his abuse became violent.

Gregory had denied his repeated requests to have sex with other men and was about to end the relationship when Bevis told her of his cancer.

A court heard that she felt so sorry for him she eventually went ‘swinging’ to please him.

Bevis, from Sittingbourne, would swallow 20 pills per day as part of his act.

The divorcee, who worked for Gravesend Borough Council housing department, even pretended to collapse in front on the neighbours when his girlfriend was out.

Gregory said: "He would say he didn't want me seeing him like that. I would pick him up and he would come out with bandages and tell me all about the nurses there.

Kevin Bevis pretended to have cancer to stop his girlfriend Karen Gregory from leaving him (SWNS)
Bevis was arrested when his girlfriend contacted police after he became physically abusive (SWNS)

"He would have the medication, a box of pills, throughout the day.

"I found out they were just vitamins and supplements.”

The pair met on Facebook in 2016, but three months into their relationship Gregory attempted to break up with Bevis due to his "sexual urges".

She told Maidstone Crown Court: "He wanted to do swinging but I'm not into all that, so I thought it would be a problem. But he insisted he would never make me do any of that."

However, Bevis refused to take no for an answer and in May 2017, when Gregory threatened to leave, he told her he had stomach cancer.

Kevin Bevis pretended to have cancer to stop his girlfriend Karen Gregory from leaving him (SWNS)
A judge ordered Bevis serve an 18-month prison sentence and subjected him to a five-year restraining order (SWNS)

The court heard that Bevis even lied to his parents about having the deadly disease in order to keep up the charade.

Gregory said: "I was standing next to him as he broke the news to his mum and dad.

"If he can lie like that to his parents, you have got to believe it."

Having escalated his lies, Bevis also said he had mouth cancer and later a brain tumour, and that he had two years to live.

Gregory said she had serious misgivings about their relationships but felt unable to leave him. She began booking experiences and nights away for them.

Her friends paid for a hot air balloon trip and she started making a memory box full of photos for his mum to keep when he died.

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She said: "How can you leave someone who is dying? I thought I would try and make it the best I could for him."

Bevis persistently asked Gregory to have sex with other men as part of his sexual fantasies and, although she did not want to, she eventually relented and had intercourse with three different men.

As the lies continued, she stood on the sidelines cheering Bevis on as he completed the Canterbury Half Marathon and Great South Run, raising money for cancer charities.

She had begged Bevis not to take part in the events as she believed he had overcome tremendous pain to do so.

During his trial, it emerged that Bevis repeatedly assaulted Miss Gregory, each time pinning her down and wrapping his hands around her throat.

He said "I could kill you, I've got nothing to live for" in reference to the cancer, and later blamed his violence on the steroids he claimed to be taking as part of his treatment.

The deceit came to an end in December 2019, when Gregory asked the police about her partner's background, under Claire's Law, after being encouraged to do so by her daughter.

She told police he was violent, and he was arrested the next day.

Bevis admitted to lying about his illnesses after police checked his medical records, and Gregory was informed.

She said: "I couldn't believe it. It was like something you read in a magazine."

Bevis was handed an 18-month prison sentence and a five-year restraining order.

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