A FORMER Malvern town councillor sobbed in the dock as she was jailed for stalking and blackmail.
But Judge Martin Jackson told Sharon Taylor, of Meadow Road, Malvern, her case was one in which he could suspend the sentence.
Michael Aspinall, prosecuting, explained that last year Taylor told her husband David Taylor she had an affair, which caused their 21-year marriage to collapse.
After Mr Taylor moved out of the marital home the victim sent messages "non-stop" to him, the court heard.
Between March and April this year, Taylor's messages became abusive including one calling him a "robotic nazi".
Taylor also sent messages asking him for money and to do domestic chores, forcing him to have to remind her the relationship was over.
"In one month he received 216 messages," the prosecutor said.
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Taylor visited the post office where Mr Taylor worked telling a manager she was concerned about female members of staff because she claimed Mr Taylor had raped her for many years.
After the manager told her to report this to the police, Taylor replied she wouldn't as "it would hurt my political career".
"The next day she messaged the manager saying she wanted to retract what she had said and their separation affected her mental health," the prosecutor said.
Messages to the victim continued after that, the mum-of-two saying in one "I want to destroy you".
Taylor also sent another message to the victim saying he had one month to retire otherwise she would tell the police.
"Mr Taylor thought this was a threat to report him for alleged rape," the prosecutor said.
The prosecutor said the victim worried if he had been arrested for the fake claim, he would have been vilified and would have lost his job.
Richard Hull, defending Taylor, said she had been going through a mental breakdown and struggled to accept the marriage was over.
Mr Hull said: "It was her last roll of the dice - it wasn't for financial reward.
"She wanted to rewind the clock, prior to her affair.
"She turned to more desperate measures."
He added she was "deeply remorseful" for what happened.
Sentencing Taylor, Judge Jackson said: "False allegations of rape are extremely unsettling.
"Threatening to make an allegation that is untrue is a very serious matter."
The judge said it was a "sad case" and he recognised the offending had been committed when Taylor was in emotional turmoil.
He jailed Taylor for two years jail for blackmail, three months for stalking to run concurrently, suspending the sentence for two years.
The 61-year-old was ordered to complete 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
She was also given a restraining order not to contact Mr Taylor, with whom she is currently going through divorce proceedings.
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