Bethany Cadden, a 30-year-old mother from Wallasey, Wirral, has been handed a suspended prison sentence after she subjected a former friend to an "evil" blackmail campaign that included posting intimate photographs on a fake Facebook profile. The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had initially become friends with Cadden in 2024 while their respective boyfriends were sharing a prison cell.
Friendship turns sour
According to prosecutor Derek Jones, the relationship soured around six months later when the victim distanced herself from Cadden. In May 2025, Cadden began bombarding the woman with abusive messages over three days, demanding repayment of hundreds of pounds she claimed was owed. When the victim refused, Cadden threatened to contact children's services to have her children removed and called the care home where the victim's mother lived to demand payment.
Hacking and online humiliation
Cadden gained access to private sexual images stored on the victim's iCloud account, likely through hacking, and threatened to post them online if the money was not paid. She then created a fake Facebook profile with the description "I'm a dirty slag who loves cheating on my fella" and uploaded the images with captions such as "Inbox me. Fiver a go boys." The account remained active for several days before being taken down, but at least one male friend of the victim saw the images and alerted her.
Sentencing and mitigation
Cadden, who has no previous convictions, admitted one count of burglary. Her defence barrister, Chris McMaster, cited her difficult upbringing, recent domestic abuse, and health conditions including endometriosis and mental health issues as explanatory factors. He noted that Cadden had worked in social care for over eight years and expressed genuine remorse.
Recorder David Knifton KC sentenced Cadden to 16 months' imprisonment suspended for two years, with a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 20 days and a 10-year restraining order. He described the act of setting up the fake profile as "the most despicable part of your conduct" and acknowledged the victim's profound distress, stating she "will never know how many other people may have accessed those private images." The judge also noted that the victim had since entered a relationship with Cadden's ex-boyfriend, suggesting possible revenge motives.
In passing sentence, Recorder Knifton said: "Offending of this nature would ordinarily justify immediate custody. However, I take into account that you have a realistic prospect of rehabilitation, strong personal mitigation, and the impact of immediate custody on your three-month-old son would be significant and harmful."
