CRUEL POSTER
Woman in court for ‘Lady Godiva’ slur
A WOMAN who embarrassed a former friend by advertising Lady Godiva-style naked horse riding in her ex pal’s name has appeared in court.
Erika Benedikta, 51, and the victim Alison Ramsden shared a love of horses but their friendship soured about payment for a puppy, a district judge at Caernarfon heard.
Sheyanne Lee, prosecuting, said in October the victim - who has a teenage daughter - was informed by the owner of a cafe at Morfa Nefyn that staff had found a leaflet advertising “naked bare-back riding” and suggested the ex-pal was involved “in the oldest profession in history.”
A fake Facebook page had also been set up with a picture of the victim on a horse although Michael Strain, defending, said his client disputed knowledge of it.
Miss Lee said, also in October, Miss Ramsden, 46, received a phone call from an ex-partner who had a leaflet bearing her name and number.
The victim had been “disgusted, ashamed and embarrassed” the court heard.
Benedikta, of Pistyll, Pwllheli, pleaded guilty to harassing Miss Ramsden by leaving a poster offering naked horse riding and other services – purporting to be her former friend – at the cafe, leaving a similar poster at a farm, and sending abusive messages via WhatsApp to her.
She was ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work, told the pay £200 compensation and £170 costs.
A three-year restraining order was also made banning contact with Ms Ramsden.
District judge Gwyn Jones said on Friday: “This was an unpleasant pattern of offending whereby you created leaflets which contained offensive material relating to a friend.
“You then distributed those in the small local area of Morfa Nefyn when it was highly likely they would be seen by members of the public.”
The judge said Benedikta created an image “which was totally and utterly wrong”.
Mr Strain said Benedikta, who is a carer for her son who has health problems, made “full and frank admissions” during questioning by police.
He said: “We live in a world rarely black and white. She says there is a lot of background to the matter.”