Lying detective was on 'mission to destroy' ex
BBCA detective who bombarded her ex with abuse and lied about him, including saying he was a paedophile and domestic abuser, has avoided prison because she was mentally ill at the time.
Sue Thorpe, 46, also used her position at Northumbria Police to gather information from the force database on her ex in her stalking campaign, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
Her victim said Thorpe was on a "mission to destroy" him, had made his life a "living hell" and his surf business had been damaged.
Thorpe, who has since resigned from her job of 19 years, was given a suspended prison sentence of two years after being found guilty of stalking and illegally accessing the national police computer.
Judge Amanda Rippon said Thorpe's offences were "very serious" but she was a woman who was ill and "in crisis" at the time she committed them.
The man and Thorpe had been in a relationship for about five years, bought a house together and were trying to have a child through IVF, the court heard.
But the relationship crumbled after Thorpe had a miscarriage, losing twins at nine weeks, and the couple reacted in different ways, the judge said.
'Living a nightmare'
Between June 2020 and September 2021, Thorpe sent the man hundreds of unwanted texts, emails and voicemail messages, many of which were abusive, prosecutor Matthew Hopkins said.
She also told multiple lies about him to his family and friends, posted about him on social media and set up multiple fake email accounts which she used to contact people and organisations he worked with to spread her falsehoods, the court heard.
The litany of lies included claims he had been violent towards her, took drugs, cheated on her and was a paedophile who abused children online, the court heard.
Thorpe, formerly of Whitley Bay but now of Newgale in Pembrokeshire, Wales, also went to his workplace twice, with the man telling the court he was constantly "on edge" about what she would do next.
In statements read to the court, the man said Thorpe was "trying to ruin my life and make my day to day living a nightmare", adding: "She is on a mission to destroy me.
"She needs to move on but it is clear she can't, she has made my life a living hell."
He said he felt humiliated and embarrassed by the lies, fearing people may believe them, and Thorpe had sought to "assassinate" him "both personally and professionally".
The man also said he feared any allegations Thorpe made would be believed because she was a serving police officer and she had previously threatened to get him arrested, the court heard.
'Ill and lost'
Judge Rippon said, having heard both Thorpe and the victim give evidence in the trial, she was "absolutely sure" Thorpe had lied and she "entirely rejected" the ex-detective's "truly dreadful allegations".
The judge said the man was "compelling, truthful, honest and accurate" while Thorpe was not and "plainly intended to destroy his business".
In mitigation, Robin Patton said the catalyst was the loss of the children, after which Thorpe had been diagnosed with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The judge said she was "not unsympathetic" and accepted Thorpe was ill and "in crisis" when she was offending.
While she accepted Thorpe's campaign of abuse and stalking was "entirely out of character", the judge said it was nevertheless "extremely serious" and had had a terrible impact on her victim.
Judge Rippon said the illegal use of the police record was also "very serious" but ultimately Thorpe was a woman who was "lost" after seeing her "last chance of having a family dissipate".
Thorpe was ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work and must abide by a restraining order for 10 years which bans her from contacting her ex, attending his home address or making any reference to him or about the case on social media.