Overview

• Sue Thorpe, a former Northumbria Police detective, was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years, for stalking and illegally accessing police records.
• Thorpe targeted her ex-partner Barry Henderson with abusive messages, false accusations, and social media posts, damaging his reputation and surfing business.
• The court heard that Thorpe accessed police databases to gather information on Henderson and spread false claims, including accusations of violence and paedophilia.
• Judge Amanda Rippon acknowledged Thorpe's personal trauma, including depression and IVF miscarriages, as mitigating factors but ruled the offenses warranted a custodial sentence.
• Thorpe remains suspended from Northumbria Police and is subject to ongoing professional misconduct proceedings following her conviction.