Surrogate mother in fraud inquiry

A 28-year-old surrogate mother is at the centre of a police fraud inquiry following allegations that she went through a process of artificial insemination by two childless couples at the same time.

Derbyshire police confirmed yesterday that Angela Richardson had been arrested and released on police bail following a complaint from Debbie and Greg White from Claverton, in Somerset.

According to an article in yesterday's Mail on Sunday, Mrs Richardson demanded pounds 10,000 from the Whites in return for having a baby. She was inseminated with Mr White's sperm in January 1996 and the couple were informed only two weeks later that she was pregnant.

However, the Surrogate Parenting Centre in the Midlands says it has a record of Mrs Richardson travelling to Sweden for artificial insemination by another man the following month. She gave birth to a boy last August but has refused to hand over the baby to the Whites.

Neither Mrs Richardson nor the Whites could be contacted yesterday. A spokesman for Derbyshire police said: "A 28- year-old woman was arrested on 22 December on suspicion of deception. She was released on police bail until 5 March. No charges have been brought at this stage."