Wife tried to frame husband with texts (From Barry And District News)

Wife tried to frame husband with texts

A BARRY woman pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice after trying to frame her husband by texting death threats to herself from his mobile phone.

Jennifer Harris, aged 52, of Lakin Drive, took a SIM card from her estranged husband David's old phone to send the threats to her own mobile.

One text to herself warned: "You'll be looking over your shoulder for the rest of your life."

She showed the messages to police who checked his phone records - and arrested innocent David Harris for making threats to kill. It then took six months for the plot to be uncovered.

Jennifer Harris pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice at Cardiff Crown Court, where sentencing was adjourned after a judge ordered reports.

Her husband, also aged 52, told police how she hatched the plan when the pair were going through a bitter divorce after 28 years of marriage.

He said: "It was all because I wouldn't take her back.

"I've been through six months of sheer hell. I was arrested for the text messages and she was still going to the police and making false accusations against me."

Mother-of-two Jennifer drove from the couple's former home in Barry to his new home in Wenvoe with his old mobile phone SIM card.

As she sat near his house so the signal could be traced to his address, she put the card in her phone and sent herself four messages.

The next day she showed the messages to police officers who arrested her husband on suspicion of making threats to kill. He then appeared in magistrates' court and Crown Court where he denied making threats against Jennifer.

Phone company Orange was able to check its records to prove the texts had been sent on his SIM card - but from Jennifer Harris's handset.

Defending, James Cranfield told Judge Philip Richards that Harris had a long history of mental health problems and sentencing was adjourned for four weeks for reports to be compiled.