Sentence cut for woman who made false claims against ex

Victoria Haigh, 42, of Denby Avenue, was jailed for three years at Doncaster Crown Court in December after she was found guilty of breaching a non-molestation order.

The order was imposed after Haigh falsely accused former partner, David Tune, of being a paedophile and ‘coached’ her daughter to make similarly bogus claims against him.

Three senior judges at London’s Court of Appeal ruled her jail term ‘manifestly excessive’ and cut it to two years and three months.

The court heard Haigh sparked a five-year custody battle for the girl after her split from Mr Tune in 2005. As part of those family proceedings she made false allegations against him on the internet, which led to the girl being unnecessarily examined by social services and removed from her father.

The country’s top family judge, Sir Nicholas Wall, allowed details of the proceedings to be published so Mr Tune could clear his name.

A court order preventing Haigh from contacting the girl without a social worker was placed on her. But shortly after that order was renewed, Haigh approached the youngster while Mr Tune was buying a newspaper in Bawtry, in March last year.

Mr Tune left the shop to see his former partner open the door of his car and shout at their daughter. Haigh again made false allegations and shouted that Mr Tune had ‘abducted’ the girl, the court heard.

Haigh, who had already breached the order by renewing the child’s passport just weeks before, insisted she was not aware of the order and fought a trial.

Appealing her sentence on Wednesday, Sally Donaldson, for Haigh, argued she was punished too harshly considering no violence was involved and there was no attempt to abduct the youngster.

Mr Justice Sweeney, sitting with Lord Justice Davis and Mr Justice Supperstone, agreed to cut the jail term to two years and three months, meaning Haigh will be entitled to automatic release after serving just over one year.