Longleat keeper tried to get colleague sacked to stop him revealing secret affair
A KEEPER at Longleat posed as a customer and sent accusatory emails about a colleague in an attempt to hide her own affair with his friend.
Hayleigh Flak, 28, had a one-night stand with a colleague who worked on the same shift as her at the safari park in Wiltshire, a court heard.
The colleague, who has not been named, is a close friend of Craig Brooks, who also works at the estate.
Concerned that Mr Brooks would expose the affair, Flak, who is married with two children and is pregnant, sent two emails pretending to be a visitor to the safari park, accusing him of being abusive.
Flak, who worked with animals including lions and tigers until March this year, denied that she was trying to make Mr Brooks lose his job, instead claiming that she wanted him to be put on a different shift.
Chippenham magistrates’ court heard that Mr Brooks feared for his safety and was baffled by the emails.
Anna Humphreys, prosecuting, said: “Mr Brooks was extremely distressed by the emails and said that he felt scared for his own personal safety. He was at a loss as to why he was being targeted in this way.”
Defending, Ellen McAnaw told the court that Flak now planned to tell her husband about the affair, adding that she expected the marriage to end.
“This offence came about because of her sexual encounter with a colleague who was good friends with Mr Brooks, the victim in this case,” she said.
“The person she had the affair with told Mr Brooks what had happened. She was worried her husband would find out and her intention was to send these emails and get Mr Brooks put on a different shift. It was not her intention to lose his job. It was not particularly bright. In fact, it was incredibly stupid. Her husband is now going to find out what happened.
“She said she is going to go home to- night and tell him the full details and she is sure that is going to end her marriage.”
Ms McAnaw added: “She has two children and is pregnant – it is not a great position to be in.”
A police investigation found that the emails had been sent from Flak’s computer, which she had initially denied.
She pleaded guilty to harassing Mr Brooks and was given a restraining order and told to complete 70 hours of unpaid community work. For being in breach of a conditional discharge after admitting one count of fraud last year, she was ordered to attend 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days and pay £145.