Stalker policewoman lied about ex-boyfriend ‘beating up pregnant women'

Telegraph

14-04-2025

A policewoman lied that her ex-boyfriend had attacked pregnant women as part of a 'relentless' stalking campaign, a court heard.
Sue Thorpe, 44, a Northumbria Police detective, was convicted of harassing and verbally abusing Barry Henderson, 58, a surf instructor after he ended their relationship.
Newcastle Crown Court was told that Thorpe, who has been suspended by Northumbria Police, met Mr Henderson on Plenty of Fish, the internet dating site, in 2014.
A jury heard she suffered two miscarriages and underwent unsuccessful IVF treatment when they tried to have children.
Their relationship deteriorated after a series of arguments, including one in 2019 during which Thorpe complained that the couple had 'zero sex' and that she had to regularly clean up after Mr Henderson.
Mr Henderson ended the relationship in July 2020, only for Thorpe to begin a year-long stalking campaign, the court heard.
The detective constable was accused of phoning Mr Henderson and sending him abusive text messages as often as 40 times a day.
Max Holford, a surfing teacher who worked for Mr Henderson, said Thorpe came to their workplace in May 2021 and 'started saying some nasty things about Barry'.
Mr Holford said: 'She told me he beat up pregnant women, that he is generally violent towards women, that he was having trouble with the council and he blamed her for that trouble.'
Humiliated in cafe
The court also heard Thorpe also humiliated Mr Henderson as he ate lunch in a cafe with a friend, shouting an obscenity and saying: 'Don't trust him.'
Thorpe was also accused of accessing the police national computer to look up information about Mr Henderson.
She was found guilty of stalking and acquiring unauthorised access to the police national computer by a jury after less than two hours.
Judge Amanda Rippon bailed Thorpe, from Whitley Bay, and said she could be jailed when she is sentenced next month.
'You should understand these are serious offences,' the judge told Thorpe. 'The custody threshold is passed. A prison sentence is not likely but it is possible.'
Det Ch Insp Graeme Dodds, of Northumbria Police's professional standards department, said: '[Thorpe's] actions were completely unacceptable.
'We can confirm misconduct proceedings are being progressed in relation to the individual, who remains suspended from duty.'