Woman cleared of plotting to cut off love rival’ s finger

Awoman has been cleared of plotting to have the wedding ring finger of her ex-husband’s new wife chopped off – but admitted trying to silence a witness.

Deborah Donald, 44, also known as Leiper or Paton, was accused of planning to have drug addicts break into Danielle Paton’s home, cut off her finger and steal her wedding ring.

It was alleged Donald, who was facing a charge of conspiracy, offered to pay the addicts £20,000.

But after a key witness, former crack addict James Vidgen, told the court he couldn’t remember what he said to police, the Crown dropped the conspiracy charge.

Donald pled guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice after police obtained a recording of her and her half-sister discussing how they would pressure a witness into retracting their police statement.

Speaking to The Press and Journal at the end of the trial, Mrs Paton said she was “really disappointed” with the outcome.

“It was terrifying. It made me feel petrified and caused a lot of distress as I was told by the police I was in danger,” she said. “We sold the house and moved away because we feared for our safety.”

During the trial, witness Laura Sherrington – now known as Forbes – described how Donald invited her to her half-sister Naomi Donald’s home.

Donald had a plan of Mrs Paton’s house in St Fergus.

Forbes said Donald asked her and her former partner Pavel Bogucki to break in, steal a number of watches, assault Mrs Paton, chop her finger off and steal her wedding ring.

“This was the woman who had stole Debbie’s husband and her house off her and was living the life she had,” she said.

“She wanted her done in. She wanted her beaten up. She wanted her finger.”

Forbes told fiscal depute Darren Harty she had no intention of carrying out the scheme and had agreed so Donald would give her money to feed her drug addiction.

Bogucki told the court Forbes had fabricated Donald’s involvement and also admitted lying in his police statement.

Vidgen told Mr Harty he couldn’t remember giving a statement to police as he was a drug addict at the time. He said he had overheard Donald and Forbes discussing the plot.

“Is it the case that you don’t know whether what you said in your statement is true?” Mr Harty asked Vidgen.

“Yes. I can’t tell whether it’s the truth,” Vidgen replied.

“Is it possible that Laura (Forbes) manipulated you?” Harty asked.

“That’s possible as well,” Vidgen responded.

The conspiracy charge against Donald was withdrawn.

Mr Harty said a phone call between Donald and her half-sister Naomi had taken place and was recorded between April 9 2020 and July 1 2020.

“In that telephone call the accused is having a discussion with Miss Naomi Donald about approaching Laura Sherrington and asking her to retract her statement,” Mr Harty said.

He added: “The conversation went back and forth until Naomi Donald advised that she had spoken to Laura Sherrington about it but that she point blank refused to do it.”

Sentence was deferred for a criminal justice social work report and a restriction of liberty order assessment. Donald, of Laburnam Grove, Peterhead, will return for sentencing next month.

Deborah Donald.