Solicitor ‘stalked judge wife after she had a f ling’
A SOLICITOR stalked his district judge wife and branded her a ‘dirty little slut’ after she confessed she was having an affair, a court heard.
Scott Ainge, 47, embarked on a ‘relentless and determined’ campaign of harassment against his wife of ten years, Kate, 41.
He allegedly abused his position as a lawyer with the Crown Prosecution Service in Lancashire by accessing confidential files to look into the background of Mrs Ainge’s new lover, Andrew Thompson.
Liverpool Crown Court heard he also tracked and photographed his wife’s car, monitored her social media accounts and accessed her personal emails, including sexually explicit messages exchanged between Mrs Ainge, her friends and her lover. He also threatened to reveal these to her boss, her family and friends.
After their split, in September 2016, he allegedly drained their bank accounts of his wife’s cash and made a bogus report to the council alleging she was an alcoholic and drug addict. The solicitor also claimed he had been assaulted by Mr Thompson.
Ainge told friends his wife was mentally ill, even though doctors said she was not, the court heard.
Allan Compton, prosecuting, said: ‘ It was a relentless, determined and continual campaign of harassment. This was far more than the actions of an upset ex-husband. We say, it was stalking.’
Mrs Ainge, who had a breakdown in 2013, moved out after telling her husband the marriage was over but he continued to bombard her with messages.
‘The defendant would continually visit, tell her she was mentally ill and whisper that she was a dirty little slut,’ Mr Compton told the court.
‘ He pushed her into attending the local Priory [rehabilitation clinic] and even when doctors told her she was not suffering from bi-polar disorder, he continued to insist she did.’ Ainge, of Leyland, denies stalking and five counts of unauthorised access to data under the Computer Misuse Act. The trial continues.