Douglas woman harassed lover's wife by faking pregnancy

Lisamarie Bashforth was placed on probation for two years

A woman who harassed her married lover's wife by pretending to be pregnant with her husband's child has been handed a restraining order.

Lisamarie Bashforth sent fake baby scans and a photo of an infant to the woman in 2020.

Douglas Courthouse heard she demanded money from the couple to support the child and they sent her cash including more than £500 for a pram.

The five-year order means Bashforth cannot approach or contact the couple.

The court heard how the 39-year-old, of Clarke Street in Douglas, had been in a secret relationship with the man for more than six years and had become "obsessed" with having a family with him.

The harassment started in February 2020 when she called the man's wife pretending to be someone else and told her that her husband was having an affair and the woman was now pregnant.

She continued to make contact for several months using her own and other fake email accounts, and posted material on social media that caused "distress and embarrassment" to the man's wife.

Rape claim

The couple agreed to help support the child after she sent bogus ultrasound scans and a photo of an infant in an incubator and demanded money.

The events culminated in Bashforth calling police on 25 September 2020 claiming the man had raped her and that there was an order in place against him to stay away from her, which officers found to be untrue.

Her harassment of the couple then came to light, and when challenged over the pregnancy claim she initially said she had miscarried but later admitted she had made up the whole story.

She admitted harassment at an earlier hearing.

Bashforth's defence advocate said she suffered from borderline personality disorder and had a low IQ.

He said she had simply become obsessed with the idea of having a baby with the man but had not intended any malice towards his wife.

The court heard she had already been serving a 22-month suspended prison sentence for theft.

Between August 2015 and August 2016 she had used the bank details of her ex-partner's children to make 459 online purchases worth more than £6,400.

Magistrates also placed her on probation for two years.