Woman jailed for contacting ex-boyfriend’s dog on Facebook

A woman from Liverpool has been jailed after messaging her ex-boyfriend's dog on Facebook.

Paula Higham, 38, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday (12 January) after breaching a non-molestation order preventing her from contacting her ex Mark Davies for one year.

One week after, Higham sent a string of "deeply unpleasant" messages from two different accounts, The Echo reported.

She then went on to message her Davies' dog's account with one message directed at his mother.

"What's happened to your mum? She's looking very rough. She will be looking worse soon," she wrote.

Another message read that she had "posted [the ex's] name and address over the internet."

She continued to call him a "f***ing freak" and threatened to kill him.

Ex-boyfriend Davies also recorded eight phone calls from Higham, who had used a private number.

Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter

According to the news publication, the court heard that Higham failed to attend two unpaid work appointments on November 10 and November 24 last year.

Zara Baqri, prosecuting, said Higham’s continued alcohol abuse meant she had missed appointments, and when she was there, she was, at times, intoxicated and acted aggressively towards staff.

"She presents an increased risk towards staff at this time," Baqri said.

Oliver Saddington, defending, said: "She apologises through me for these breaches."

He said an "unfettered torrent of commentary from anonymous members of the public" posted on online articles written about Higham caused her to have a mental breakdown and turn to alcohol.

Saddington continued: "Truth be told, she is still feeling scared and suffers with her mental health today.

"She has completed 37 hours, and she wants to do more, and I beseech your honour to give her a second chance."

During the sentencing, Recorder Eric Lamb said: "You have been presenting in a way in which you were verbally aggressive towards your offender manager, and there have been occasions in which you were sporadic in your engagement with unpaid work.

"I have concluded that activation of the sentence would not be unjust."

Lamb activated the suspended sentence of 12 months imprisonment, which was reduced to eight after considering parts of the community order Higham has already completed.

Higham sobbed as she was issued the sentence, asking the judge: "Are you saying I am going to lose my house?"

Indy100 reached out to Merseyside Police for comment.

Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.