Dad’s DNA surprise after paying $58k in child support

For 18 years, she was Kerry’s little girl. 
Even though the fisherman had been surprised when Julie announced she was pregnant after a one night stand,  he promised to look after them.
Often drowning in debt to make the payments, Kerry ended up forking out nearly $60, 000 in child support during that time.

The only problem is that it was all a lie.
The dad has worked hard to get the money for the payments. Image: A Current Affair

Financially crippled to make child support payments

Kerry discovered this fact recently, after his seasonal work dried up, forcing him to contact the Child Support Agency to arrange a different payment plan.
“The bills started to pile up and I had to take action because if I didn’t, they would,” Kerry told A Current Affair.

“The first time they froze my account was during a fishing season. I had my passport frozen and told that it wouldn’t be reinstated until I had paid the bill in full.
“I had $26,000 taken out.”
The agency was surprised he’d never done a DNA test. Image: A Current Affair

Where’s the DNA test?

When he called the agency, they were surprised not to see a DNA test on file.
“He asked me, I can’t see a result for a DNA test here, I said, ‘Because I didn’t have one’,” Kerry said.
“And he pretty much on the phone called me a stupid idiot and to go and get one done as soon as I could.”
Julie said she was convinced Kerry was the father. Image: A Current Affair

After all this time – he’s not the dad

The test proved that Kerry was not the father.
The Child Support Agency also told Kerry that Julie said she lived with him when the baby was conceived, which meant he had to make fortnightly payments.
Julie has been ordered to pay back the money, but as she doesn’t work, will only be able to make instalments of $49.80 each fortnight.
Julie issued a statement to A Current Affair saying that she and her daughter believed Kerry was the father.
“Over the last 18 years Kerry has had the chance to get a DNA test but as myself and Child Support could never get in contact with him, it never happened, and now he is coming out with accusations that are unfounded and untrue,” she said.
Wife Shannon said they always suspected the girl wasn’t his. Image: A Current Affair

How did it go on for so long?

Although Kerry now says he had his suspicions the girl wasn’t his the entire time, he’s upset Child Support let the deception go on for so long.
“Even at the start he was like, ‘I don’t know how I can be the father, because there are quite a few suitors going around here,” his wife Shannon said.
He believes the agency, rather than Julie, should be paying.
“I’ve been hassled non-stop by Child Support, but the reason they thought I was the dad wasn’t right,” Kerry said.
“They accepted me as the father without any proof. That’s what makes me angry, really.
“This proves I’m not the dad, so where’s my money?”