'Devious' Northamptonshire man filed false police reports claiming his ex was harassing him

Michael Kenneth Hale called police on two occasions to allege that his former partner had phoned him 21 times and left voice messages.

The woman was taken in for a police interview but it later emerged that Hale was lying.

When police searched his address they found old phones with evidence of the scam.

Hale, of Winding Way, Thrapston, but formerly of Windmill Close, Wellingborough, was in court on Friday (July 26) to admit to perverting the course of justice.

His Honour Judge William Harbage KC heard that Hale, 45, contacted police back in November 2019 to allege that the woman had phoned him repeatedly from a withheld number.

He presented voice messages from her which included the phrase ‘I’m going to drive you crazy’

A few days later he phoned police again and supplied them with another voice message from her saying ‘I don’t want to argue’.

The woman was interviewed by police but had an alibi for the nights in question. Officers later searched Hale’s home and found a burner phone which showed he had called himself to create the missed calls and had re-used old voice messages to try to falsely prove his ex had been harassing him.

Prosecuting, Kenniesha Stephens said that Hale had 22 previous convictions on his record including breaching non-molestation orders and restraining orders.

Reading parts of a victim impact statement written by Hale’s ex, she said: “I’ve become very reclusive.

"I’ve lived with paranoia. I’m now suspicious of everyone and I have CCTV in case he turns up.

“He’s so unpredictable. I’m living in fear. It’s unnerving.”

The court was told that Hale had denied perverting the course of justice for four years, until a trial was due to take place in May of this year. He admitted the offence as a trial was due to get under way.

Mitigating, Francesca Hallett, said her client had suffered a serious injury in a car accident in 2010 that had left him with ongoing back injuries. Hale struggled to sit down in the dock.

Ms Hallett said: “His behaviour comes from a background of a very difficult relationship. Neither party behaved particularly nicely.

"He has now moved away and his life has got better and better.

"He recognises his behaviour was ugly.”

Judge Harbage said: “The reports you made to police were made out of malice and spite. It was all untrue.

"This was done specifically to get your ex-partner into trouble.

"This was devious, deceptive and manipulative. You have caused her psychological and emotional harm.

"Your apology is tempered by the fact you spent years denying this.”

He gave Hale 21 months in prison, suspended for two years as well as 30 rehabilitation requirement days.

He was also made the subject of a five year restraining order banning him from contacting the victim in any way, directly or indirectly.

Judge Harbage warned him that any breach of the suspended sentence would result in immediate custody.