TYNESIDE WOMAN FALSELY BRANDED EX PARTNER A PAEDOPHILE AND RAPIST IN TERRIFYING CAMPAIGN OF LIES
Bitter Joanne Nicholson tormented her former partner with a campaign of false and damaging lies - including branding him a paedophile and suggesting he had raped her.After being dumped by the victim, Nicholson launched a relentless campaign against the victim and his new partner, fabricating evidence and making up wild claims which saw the innocent couple arrested on several occasions.
The court heard Nicholson, 40, was in a relationship with the victim from late 2021 until early 2023, when he ended it.
He said things were amicable with her until he began a new relationship, when her attitude changed.
Two of the man's neighbours got letters sent by Nicholson falsely branding him a "dirty nonce".
A similar letter was sent to his 80-year-old mum, causing her great distress.
The man also got a similar letter to his home and he recognised the writing.
An expert later confirmed it was Nicholson's handwriting.
Between February 2023 and June 24, the victim and his new partner were also subjected to a campaign of lies from Nicholson, who made at least 15 statements to police making false allegations against them.
In February 2023, Nicholson made an anonymous 999 call purporting to be a neighbour of the victim, claiming a domestic attack was taking place and children were screaming and that Nicholson had just run out of the house.
Police attended and found there was no one present.
Nicholson, of Stanhope Road, South Shields, made another call, saying a woman was being battered.
Officers attended and found the house in darkness.
There was a further anonymous 999 call made by Nicholson, saying there was an ongoing domestic attack at the man's home, claiming Nicholson had run out covered in blood.
Police attended but there was no sign of any disturbance.
On February 26 2023, Nicholson made another 999 call to police asking for help at the victim's home.
Sounding terrified, she pretended to be addressing him as she made reference to him being on drugs, falsely claimed to have been raped by him, and told him to put a hammer down.
It was all lies and when police attended his home, they found him alone with his children and an investigation showed the call had not been made from his address.
In March that year, Nicholson provided a witness statement to police falsely claiming she was being harassed by him.
Following a similar allegation in April, the man was arrested and interviewed under caution, despite being completely innocent.
After making further similar allegations, she tricked the family court into issuing a non-molestation order.
Nicholson also told police the man's new partner had harassed her, leading to the innocent woman being quizzed by police.
After more lies about her ex sending threatening messages, which she fabricated, he was arrested for threats to kill.
But an investigation later showed the messages had been created using Nicholson's IP address.
In May 2023, the man was arrested again, falsely accused of breaching the non-molestation order.
More false claims of harassment against the man and his new partner saw them both arrested in June.
The man was further arrested for stalking later that month, again due to Nicholson's lies.
She also created an email address in his name and claimed he had harassed her on a dating app.
In June 2024, Nicholson was arrested and a phone was found wedged between a bed frame and wall and was found logged into an Instagram account she had used in the offending.
In a victim impact statement, the man said the offending had caused him to move house and take time off work and he said he had to deal with social services after falsely being branded a paedophile, an utterly false allegation which left him living in fear.
He added: "Her attempts to ruin my life have had a lasting detrimental effect on my life.
I was in constant fear of being arrested after another false allegation." He further described the contact with his family as "absolutely deplorable," and said it made him consider suicide.
The man also said her lies had a severe impact on his mental health and his relationships.
Fiona Lamb, defending, said character references speak well of Nicholson, who has mental health issues including PTSD and bipolar disorder.
She added that she would be vulnerable to bullying and exploitation in prison.
Nicholson pleaded guilty to sending a letter with intent to cause distress or anxiety and doing acts tending of intended to pervert the course of justice.
She was jailed for 25 months and given a 10-year restraining order.
