Ex tried to smear teacher's name by calling him 'wife beater' in front of class
A karate teacher's ex tried to smear him after they broke up calling him a 'wife beater' in front of his students, a court has heard.
Jessica Hefferon, 31, turned up unexpectedly to 'Sensei' Ryan Derbyshire's after-school club karate class. While Ryan was giving martial arts tips to one of his young students, Hefferon accused her ex of strangling her during an argument they had, a court was told. A parent witnessed the "aggressive" and "abusive" verbal attack when Hefferon, from Widnes in Cheshire, wrongfully called 32-year-old Mr Derbyshire a "wife beater".
The NHS healthcare assistant continued to harass her former partner and even got in touch with his boss at the karate club to spread savage lies about him. She spread lies about Mr Derbyshire, saying he was being investigated by social services and shouldn't be teaching children in the hope he will lose his job.
Mr Derbyshire has successfully completed Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) safety checks enabling him to teach children. He has now been questioned by police during a voluntary interview. Police then took no action against Mr Derbyshire and instead questions Hefferon over the smears.
Mr Derbyshire has represented his karate club and associations in National and International Competitions as well as representing the UK in 2010 at the World Championships in Brazil (Ryan Derbyshire/ Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)The mother launched her smear campaign after their relationship ended, during which time they had one child together. She ended up in Warrington Magistrates' Court and was convicted of harassing Mr Derbyshire.
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She was then issued with a restraining order and banned from contacting Mr Derbyshire for two years. Hefferon turned up at Mr Derbyshire's work twice and on one of those occasions she followed her ex and shouted at him in the staff canteen, the court heard. She even threatened to not let him see his son.
Hefferon has been issued with a restraining order and banned from contacting Mr Derbyshire for two years (Jessica Hefferon/ Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)Nicola Parr, prosecuting, said: "She pursued him into the work's canteen, which was witnessed by two other employees. She started shouting at him in the canteen, that the victim was not speaking to her and that she would stop him from seeing his son. The victim was left stressed and agitated after that."
On a different occasion, Mr Derbyshire threatened to call the police if Hefferon didn't stop harassing him at work, but the mother turned up anyway with their son and told Mr Derbyshire he had ten minutes with the boy. Mr Derbyshire said in a statement: "I feel intimidated by what happened and it makes me feel that I am somehow in the wrong.
Hefferon turned up at Mr Derbyshire's work twice and on one of those occasions she followed her ex and shouted at him in the staff canteen (Jessica Hefferon/ Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)"This has caused a lot of stress to my family who have supported me through this. It also causes a lot of stress to my mum and it has had an impact on her. " Talking about how his biggest concern is for his son, he added: "He is my world and I would give him everything but I have suffered psychologically.
"I became uncomfortable and paranoid about going out in case he saw Jessica and she made more false allegations against me. I have stopped having a social life and I am paranoid that there will be further accusations. I saw her by accident and it makes me feel that she is following me. I am trying to keep myself to myself. Thankfully it has not affected my work as they have been very supportive." At the time he made the statement, Mr Derbyshire said he was continuing to pay the full mortgage on the house as well as paying for Hefferon's car and for child maintenance.
While Ryan was giving martial arts tips to one of his young students, Hefferon accused her ex of strangling her during an argument they had (Jessica Hefferon/ Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)Hefferon's council Will Griffin said: "There was little planning and the offence was limited in scope and duration and was spontaneous in my submission. There were four events over five months. She is a mother and a full-time carer for her two-year-old son. The child goes to nursery three days a week and on the other two days she looks after him.
"She works as a health care assistant at Whiston Hospital during the three days the child is at the nursery and she is studying for an NVQ level 3. This is her first conviction, a stain on her character which is a huge punishment in itself, something that she is very upset about."
Hefferon was convicted of harassment following the trial, but she had denied any wrongdoing. Alongside the restraining order, she was slapped with a £180 fine and ordered to pay £314 in costs and a victims surcharge. She was also ordered to undertake a 12-month community order, six months of mental health treatment and rehabilitation activity for 25 days.
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