A nurse from Preston swapped her ex-partner’s hair conditioner for hair removal cream in revenge for using her toiletries, a court has heard. Kate Atherton, 34, left her ex-partner ‘devastated’ and bragged about her cruel plans in voicenotes to her friends.
In the messages, which were played during a recent trial at Preston Crown Court, Atherton could be heard devising the plot after getting annoyed that her ex-partner was using her favourite Rituals toiletries.
Lancs Live reported that she could be heard telling friends: “If she’s going to be a c***, I’m going to be a c***.”
Health Implications and Legal Consequences
The victim, who was in a relationship with Atherton for four years, used the conditioner on October 30 last year, which made her hair fall out and left her fearing for her safety. In the voicenotes, Atherton said: “In my conditioner I have emptied half of it and put the Veet (hair removal cream) inside it so when she uses my conditioner again she’s going to lose half of her hair.”
Atherton, a specialist respiratory nurse at Royal Preston Hospital, was spared from an immediate jail sentence due to her work on COVID wards during the pandemic. She admitted she had begun to spiral when her relationship broke down in October 2023.
Judicial Response and Victim Impact
Judge Graham Knowles KC, described Atherton’s behaviour as “unpleasant.” He said: “What a mean, nasty, and spiteful thing to do. This was far beyond any normal range of behaviour.”
Atherton was handed a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. She has also been ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work, 20 days of rehabilitation, and pay £1,500 in compensation to the victim.