Raymond Birnie, 75, jailed for 9 years, 3 months for a smear campaign against his stepsister over inheritance.
Birnie was guilty of several crimes, including witness intimidation and perverting the course of justice. He also committed actual bodily harm, criminal damage, threatened someone with a knife, and failed to surrender bail twice.
The court heard about a family dispute in 2015, where Birnie fought over his father’s estate with his brother and stepsister. In 2017, Birnie sent nasty emails to his stepsister, pretending they came from his brother and threatening to crash into her house. He verbally abused her, accusing her of a terrible crime.
In December, he threatened to post flyers accusing her and her husband of grooming children online. He actually went through with the threat, sending the flyer with their photo and address to their neighbors near Ely.
Police arrested Birnie in 2018, then released him. He claimed his brother was behind the smear campaign, leading to the brother’s arrest. Later, he was cleared of all wrongdoing as evidence showed Birnie framed him by creating an account using his brother’s name.
While free on bail, Birnie attacked a bailiff and menaced a surveyor with a knife in Suffolk. After the jury’s verdict, Birnie fled and lived in a campervan with fake plates.
Judge Bishop called Birnie’s actions manipulative, vindictive, and calculated, aiming to cause the worst possible damage. The court issued a restraining order to protect his sister indefinitely.
Detective Sergeant Clery spoke after the sentencing, stating the case was very complex. Birnie caused great distress to his family, smearing his sister and her husband as paedophiles, and trying to frame his brother for the crimes. The consequences dramatically impacted their lives, and he applauded the victims’ courage in enduring a very difficult ordeal.