Officer guilty of ‘sinister’ harassment campaign
A DETECTIVE has been found guilty of waging a ‘sinister and disturbing’ campaign against her policeman ex-lover and his wife.
Married Lucy Worthington, pictured, formerly of Macclesfield CID and now of Wilmslow CID, used a vast array of aliases to bombard Christopher and Christine Stoddart with letters, text messages and emails after he ended their affair.
The chilling messages contained unnerving personal information about Mrs Stoddart, including details of a breast cancer scare and a description of her home, including her son’s bedroom.
But the detective sergeant’s career now stands in tatters after she was found guilty of harassing the couple after a two-day trial at Stockport magistrate’s court.
The court heard how Worthington, 28, and Pc Stoddart, 47, began their affair in January 2012 but he ended it a few months later when she found out she was expecting a baby with her husband Dave, who also worked at Cheshire Constabulary.
Pc Stoddart finally confessed to his wife about the affair but six months later Worthington started to send messages threatening to expose the extent of their relationship, later turning her attentions to his wife.
Giving evidence, Mrs Stoddart told of the devastating impact the messages had on her. She said: “It just brought everything back. It opened up old wounds we’d been trying to close for six months. These messages they were actually quite sinister. They were very unnerving.”
Worthington admitted sending some messages but denied sending the most-threatening texts, claiming she gave the phone to an unnamed friend. The policewoman, who is now going through a divorce, said: “I had no motive to tell Christine.
“I didn’t want the truth to come out as much as he didn’t. I’ve lost my husband, my house and my job.”
Finding her guilty of two charges of harassment, District Judge Mark Hadfield told the detective he did not find her a credible witness. He said: “I am satisfied that all the communications sent to both complainants emanated from you.”
Worthington, of Park Lane, Sandbach, will be sentenced next month. She was bailed and ordered not to contact the Stoddarts.
She remains suspended from duty and Cheshire Constabulary has now launched disciplinary proceedings against her.
Detective Superintend- ent John Armstrong, head of professional standards said: “Cheshire Constabulary takes all reports of stalking and harassment very seriously and certainly does not tolerate such conduct in the workplace. Stalking can often lead to life changing consequences for victims. Nationally one in 20 calls the National Stalking helpline are due to the actions of a colleague or ex-colleague.
“It is rare indeed for such incidents to happen within the Constabulary. Victims of harassment deserve the full protection of law, and police officers are bound by high standards of professional behaviour. In these circumstances, we rightly took robust criminal action while supporting the victim throughout.
“Now that the court proceedings have concluded, internal disciplinary procedures that amount to gross misconduct will follow. Miss Worthington remains suspended from duty.”