Jilted mum, 32, bombarded lawyer with threats to share ‘X-rated videos’ after she started dating her ex
A JILTED mum bombarded a lawyer with threatening messages at work after she started dating her ex, a court heard.
Kayleigh Gordon, 32, claimed she had explicit footage of Beth Mantel with her ex Richard Buggy - which did not exist - and threatened to dish it out on social media.
She also sent a vile email to 36-year old Miss Mantel's employer at a top law firm in Manchester, falsely alleging she was involved in substance misuse.
Her actions caused "substantial distress" to both Miss Mantel - a criminal defence lawyer and pal of Chelsea footballer Danny Drinkwater - and Mr Buggy, 38, a solar panel expert now dating the solicitor.
In a statement, Miss Mantel of Alderley Edge, Cheshire, said she had “struggled” and had been "embarrassed" about the email which had been sent to her former employer as she had recently taken up a new post.
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She added: “Though the message had been sent to a generic email address the receptionist forwarded the message to the whole office.
“Things were said which were disgusting, false and hurtful. The allegations could have ruined my reputation that had taken ten years to build.”
She has also made clear the idea of any X-rated footage was made up and did not exist.
At Warrington magistrates court, Gordon, of Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, pleaded guilty to two charges of sending by a public communication network an offensive, indecent, obscene or menacing message and was ordered to pay Miss Mantel and Mr Buggy £100 each in damages.
Simon Green, prosecuting, said: “The defendant and one of the complainants, Mr Buggy, are ex-partners and they share a child.
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"Mr Buggy is currently in a relationship with the other complainant.
''Mr Buggy took the child that he and the defendant share to a party in Manchester. That party was one being held by Ms Mantel's friend.
“After the party, he returns their son to the defendant. He then goes back to Manchester and on the way he receives a telephone call from the defendant.
“She asks about the party and if Ms Mantel was there.
"She then begins to become abusive and sends a number of abusive and threatening messages regarding his relationship with Ms Mantel and what she intends to do with Ms Mantel and her employer."
He added: “A threat was made to Mr Buggy that she was in possession of an intimate video involving Ms Mantel and Mr Buggy that she would post on Facebook.
“With regards to Ms Mantel, the defendant sent an email to Ms Mantel's workplace.
Threats were made and there was a threat to disclose a video of an intimate nature.
Simon Green
“Threats were made and there was a threat to disclose a video of an intimate nature.
"It caused substantial distress to both parties but particularly to Ms Mantel. She was scared of not just losing her employment but ending her career over the allegations being made by the defendant in the email.”
In 2019, Miss Mantel was a passenger in a car being driven by Drinkwater when he ploughed into a car with his Range Rover after they left a chav-themed party at a trendy restaurant in Hale, near Altrincham.
He was subsequently banned from driving for 20 months for drink driving.
Of matters caused by Gordon, Mr Green read from Ms Mantel’s victim impact statement which told how access to Mr Buggy's son had put a "huge strain" on her relationship with him.
She said it was being dealt with by the family court and would only make them stronger.
'UNFORGIVEABLE'
It was only the third time she had seen his son, she said, and they were taking him to a friend's child's first-year birthday party for which she had bought him a new outfit.
In mitigation, defence lawyer Mark Lever said Gordon’s only mitigation was her immediate guilty plea but that she had demonstrated remorse and an element of contrition.
“It was done with little thought and no concern for the impact on the victim,” Mr Lever said.
“Miss Gordon is aware this is a serious matter and the court will deal with it in such a way. She is a mother of three children, the youngest is five years old, the others are ten and 11.
“She realises her actions were over the top and she should have behaved very differently.
"She is very sorry for the way she behaved.”
Sentencing, District Judge Jack McGarva told Gordon: "To send the message to Ms Mantle's employer is unforgivable.
"You need to reflect how you would feel if the same thing happened to you."
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Gordon was sentenced to a 12-month community order and a four-week 9pm to 6am curfew.
She was also made subject a two-year restraining order preventing her from making any contact with Ms Mantel or Mr Buggy, except through Children's Services, a solicitor or someone approved by the family court for the purpose of arranging child contact.
