Smear Campaign: Man Jailed After Targeting Stepsister in Village

Raymond Birnie, aged 75, is now in jail. He got almost ten years for smearing his stepsister during an inheritance dispute. He posted leaflets in their village, falsely claiming she groomed kids.

The family’s fight started in 2015 over their father’s money. A High Court battle began. Birnie ran after a guilty verdict.

Birnie lived in Suffolk, and the court sentenced him on February 17, 2025. He received nine years and three months. His address is Hillcrest, Peasenhall, Saxmundham.

Everything kicked off back in 2017 when he used an email in his brother’s name. He told his stepsister to stop the case and even threatened to crash a car into her house. He sent more abusive emails that echoed this threat, calling her a paedophile.

In December 2017, he sent a threatening letter outlining his plan to post leaflets in her village, claiming she groomed kids. He lived near Ely with her partner at the time.

He posted the leaflets in March 2018. The flyers acted like they were from a child safety group. They showed her picture, her husband’s photo, and their address to residents of the village.

Soon after, another fake letter arrived, seemingly from the same activist group. It threatened more leaflets. Birnie got arrested in March 2018 and made up documents blaming his brother.

His brother was arrested but was found innocent. Investigators discovered Birnie framed him, creating the fake email account he used for his campaign.

While free on bail, he fled and lived in a campervan with fake plates. He also attacked a bailiff and threatened a surveyor with a knife in Suffolk.

Birnie was found guilty of many charges, including perverting justice, intimidating a witness, causing actual bodily harm, and committing criminal damage. He also faced charges for threatening with a knife and two counts of skipping bail.

The judge called Birnie’s actions planned, manipulative, and vindictive, aiming to humiliate his stepsister. The court also issued a restraining order.

An investigator described the case as complex. Birnie caused his relatives much distress by smearing his sister as a paedophile and trying to frame his brother. Justices prevailed and appreciated the victims for their courage.