A woman who faked her own kidnapping in a bid to extort £2,000 from a former boyfriend has been released from prison after senior judges overturned her sentence. Leah Jumeaux, 20, of Blackpool, sent the man photos of herself bound and gagged, with red felt-tip pen used to simulate blood.
Jumeaux messaged her ex-partner in October 2020 using the pseudonym 'Paddy' and demanded a ransom. However, the scheme unravelled when the man contacted police, who found Jumeaux safe and well. She admitted the fraud, claiming she needed money for Christmas presents.
Last month, she was sentenced to 34 weeks' youth detention at Preston Crown Court. But today, the Court of Appeal quashed the sentence, citing her vulnerability, mental health issues, and early guilty plea. Lord Justice William Davis said the original sentence was 'manifestly excessive and wrong in principle'.
The court heard Jumeaux had a disorder involving emotional instability and was a young mother with caring responsibilities. The appeal judges imposed a two-year community order instead, meaning Jumeaux was freed immediately.
