Pensioner jailed for ‘meticulously deliberate’ try and win inheritance battle by portray his stepsister as a paedophile whereas blaming his brother for the nameless threats
A bitter pensioner who attempted to win an inheritance battle by painting his stepsister as a paedophile has been jailed.
Raymond Birnie, 75, launched the smear campaign after a High Court feud began over his late father’s estate in August 2015.
His criminal actions would include posting letters through neighbours’ doors to say his sister was a groomer, going on the run while on bail and threatening a chartered surveyor with a knife in Suffolk.
The criminal case started in February 2017 after Birnie used an email address in his brother’s name to send a message to his stepsister.
He urged her to stop the case ‘before it gets nasty’ and threatened to drive a car into her house.
Birnie sent further emails, repeating the threats with the car, as well as accusing his stepsister of being a paedophile.
In December 2017, Birnie sent a letter to his stepsister, threatening to post leaflets through all the doors in a village near Ely, where she lived with her partner, claiming they were suspected of being involved in grooming children online.
He followed through on the threat and the leaflet, which purported to be from an online child activist group, and included a photograph of her and her husband, their names and address, was sent to residents of the village in March 2018.
Raymond Birnie, 75, (pictured) launched the smear campaign after a High Court feud started over his late father’s estate in August 2015
Birnie sent another letter to her shortly after claiming to be from the online child activist group, making further threats and threatening to post more leaflets in the village.
He was arrested and bailed in March 2018 but tried to blame the ordeal on his brother, producing documents that claimed he was the one behind the previous threats and smears.
Birnie’s brother was arrested but cleared of all offences after investigations found computer evidence Birnie had set up the account in his brother’s name and used it to conduct his campaign against his stepsister and brother.
After a jury found Birnie guilty, he went on the run while on bail, living in a campervan which displayed false number plates.
While on bail for the offences against his stepsister and brother, Birnie attacked a High Court bailiff and threatened a chartered surveyor with a knife in Suffolk.
On Monday, Birnie, of Peasenhall, Suffolk, was jailed for nine years and three months at Huntingdon Law Courts.
He was found guilty of perverting the course of justice, witness intimidation, actual bodily harm and criminal damage.
He was also found guilty of threatening a person with a bladed article in a private place and two counts of failing to surrender bail.
Sentencing Birnie, Judge Mark Bishop described his actions as ‘meticulously planned’, ‘manipulative’, ‘vindictive’ and ‘calculated to be as damaging and humiliating as possible’.
He was also handed an indefinite restraining order against his stepsister.
Detective Sergeant Sean Clery said: ‘This was an incredibly complex case and Birnie caused immense distress for his relatives by smearing his sister and her husband as paedophiles and trying to frame his own brother.
‘The consequences of Birnie’s actions have been life-changing and the damage he has caused is immeasurable.
‘I am pleased that justice has prevailed and applaud the victims for having the courage and resilience to endure through what has been a difficult journey.’
Cambridgeshire Police have been contacted for comment.
