A wedding planner has been sentenced to 28 months in prison after she sent herself threatening letters in a deceitful plot to frame her ex-husband for stalking. Emma Heys, 42, orchestrated a web of lies that resulted in her ex-husband, Christopher Heys, being arrested three times and spending over 30 hours in custody.
Initially, Heys secured a non-molestation order against Mr. Heys, alleging that she had been a victim of abuse. However, she went on to fabricate a series of false allegations against him. Among her claims, she stated that she had discovered dead flowers with heads cut off and a card with a derogatory message on Valentine’s Day. She also received threatening letters that suggested she was being watched and contained details of her shopping trips and outings.
During the investigation into her allegations, police searched Heys’ residence and discovered a cardboard box containing blank envelopes with stamps. One of the envelopes had the same distinctive Christmas-themed Wallace and Gromit stamp that appeared on several letters allegedly sent by her ex-husband.
Despite being questioned, Heys was released under investigation. Over the course of two years, the inquiry continued, involving extensive review of CCTV footage and examination of 100,000 pages of phone downloads. However, no evidence was found against Mr. Heys, including any footage of the letters being posted or any suspicious activity in his mobile phone records.
Further analysis revealed that DNA found under the seal of one envelope belonged to Heys herself. Moreover, examination of her mobile phone records indicated that she had sent text messages to herself and made calls from her landline phone.
Heys eventually admitted to sending herself the messages but continued to deny responsibility for the threatening letters. In September 2022, she pleaded guilty to three counts of perverting justice at Lincoln Crown Court.
Detective Constable Andrew Woodcock of Lincolnshire Police, the investigating officer, highlighted the extensive effort involved in the case, with multiple specialist departments and agencies being mobilized. He emphasized the seriousness with which domestic abuse allegations are treated, leading to significant resources being allocated to the investigation. Once suspicions arose that the allegations were false, a thorough inquiry was conducted.
Woodcock further noted the rarity of cases involving such extensive offenses and the substantial drain on local policing resources caused by Heys’ false claims.
The sentencing of Emma Heys serves as a reminder of the importance of integrity in reporting crimes and the serious consequences that can result from perverting the course of justice.
