Woman Jailed After Sending Facebook Message To Her Ex-Boyfriend's Dog

After messaging her ex-boyfriend's dog on Facebook, a Liverpool woman was sentenced to prison.

Paula Higham, 38, threatened to kill her ex-partner and his mother, calling her "rough" and stating "she will look worse soon."

After breaking a court order prohibiting molestation by texting her ex through his dog's Facebook account, Higham made an appearance at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday, January 12.

Image: Liverpool echo

Higham was issued a non-molestation order by the family courts in August 2021, preventing her from getting in touch with her ex.

A 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement was added to the one-year prison sentence that was suspended for 18 months and the 100 hours of unpaid work requirement.

Higham still got in touch with her ex and sent him a series of "very awful" texts.

She sent 13 different emails from two different accounts on the same morning in August 2021, just one week after the order was put in place.

Image: Liverpool echo

Higham then sent a message to her ex three days later using his dog's account.

One message read: "What's happened to your mum? She's looking very rough. She will be looking worse soon."

While a second read: "Enjoy your weekend. I've posted your name and address over the internet, rapist."

Eight calls from Higham were also taped by her ex-boyfriend using a withheld number.

She said that he had gone "viral," accused him of raping her, and said: "Now you really are f***ed."

On September 25, 2021, Higham gave him a call and said: "The rapist has got nothing to say has he?"

She then referred to him as a "f****** freak" and made a death threat.

The prosecution cited Higham's continuing alcohol addiction as the reason she missed two of her unpaid labor dates in court.

Prosecutor Ms. Baqri, however, said that Higham presented an "increased risk toward staff" when she was at her appointments.

Defense Oliver Saddington said: “She apologizes through me for these breaches."

He also mentioned that Higham had her phone number leaked and received death threats from someone she knew from her time as a sex worker.

Mr. Saddington continued: "Truth be told, she is still feeling scared and suffers with her mental health today.”

"She has completed 37 hours and she wants to do more, and I beseech your honor to give her a second chance."

During the sentencing, Recorder Eric Lamb said: “You have been presenting in a way in which you were verbally aggressive towards your offender manager, and there have been occasions in which you were sporadic in your engagement with unpaid work.”

"I have concluded that activation of the sentence would not be unjust."

He immediately began carrying out the suspended 12-month sentence, which had been reduced to eight months due to Higham's completed community service hours.