Dancing Video Exposes False NHS Disability Claim

A body paint artist who filed a £3 million compensation claim against the NHS, alleging that delays in her diagnosis left her disabled, is now facing a prison sentence after a video emerged showing her dancing at a festival.

Kae Burnell-Chambers, 44, claimed that a delayed diagnosis of cauda equina syndrome by NHS doctors in 2016 caused nerve damage that severely impacted her mobility. She reported difficulties with basic activities such as walking, getting out of a car, and dressing herself.

However, footage presented at the High Court showed Burnell-Chambers participating in a 2019 festival, painted as a fantasy warrior, walking unaided and dancing. The video was recorded several months before she launched her multi-million-pound legal claim in which she described herself as significantly disabled.

Judge Jonathan Glasson KC found Burnell-Chambers guilty of contempt of court after she admitted misrepresenting the extent of her symptoms during medical assessments. She now faces a potential sentence of up to two years' imprisonment and is due to return to court for sentencing in October.

Sadie Crapper, representing the Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust, told the court that Burnell-Chambers had attended medico-legal evaluations complaining of a wide range of physical limitations. She reportedly walked with a stick, claimed she needed assistance to dress and to exit a vehicle, and relied on aids including a wheelchair, boot hoist, and Motability vehicle.

However, social media footage and surveillance later contradicted her claims, leading her to withdraw the lawsuit in 2022. Ms. Crapper described the claim as "fundamentally dishonest," citing the 2019 Kustom Kulture Blast Off festival video in which Burnell-Chambers was seen moving freely without any mobility aids.

The court heard Burnell-Chambers later admitted that her symptoms vary and her mobility can be nearly normal on good days. She acknowledged exaggerating her condition during her medical evaluation.

The case highlights the serious consequences of dishonesty in civil claims, with the maximum penalty for contempt of court being two years in prison.

GV Hale