Apprentice star says stress killed dad

professional misconduct. However, despite agreeing the false document played a key role in Sharon being found in contempt of court, the lawyer was simply “censured”.

The lawyer failed to respond to requests to comment on the case. Sharon, 42, said: “I had done nothing wrong, but ended up in prison for mistakes made by legal professionals.

“It was scary. The woman in the cell below me started a fire. I could hear the fire engines and commotion. I was a civil prisoner, who had never been accused of any crime but I was treated like I was a criminal.”

Within a couple of months her dad John was diagnosed with bowel cancer. He died just a few days before his 66th birthday.

Sharon served 15 and a half days in Cornton Vale before being granted leave to appeal. She believes the stress of what happened to her played a major part in her dad’s illness.

“He was diagnosed too late. I believe if he hadn’t been so worried with this weight on his shoulders, he’d have had more time to go to a doctor earlier and he wouldn’t have died last year.

“People were unkind to my mum and turned away from my dad. It’s sad.”

Sharon is angry that contempt of court and the threat of jail are sometimes used as a “weapon” against women in civil actions.

She added: “It’s so hard to get your life back.

“No one stopped to think that this wasn’t right.”