A nurse who swapped her ex-partner's conditioner with hair removal cream in a revenge plot has been handed a suspended prison sentence. Kate Atherton, 34, a specialist respiratory nurse from Royal Preston Hospital, admitted administering poison after her former partner used the tampered product and lost significant amounts of hair.
Preston Crown Court heard that Atherton was angered after her ex used her favourite Rituals toiletries. In voicenotes played during the hearing, she boasted about her plan: “In my conditioner I have emptied half of it and put the Veet inside it so when she uses my conditioner again she's going to lose half of her hair.” The victim used the conditioner on 30 October 2024, resulting in hair loss and lasting distress.
The victim, who had been in a four-year relationship with Atherton, said she now needs hair extensions and described feeling “terrified” and unable to trust anyone. Atherton, whose behaviour had “taken a complete turn” in 2024, also faced charges for assault and drink-driving.
Judge Graham Knowles KC described the act as “mean, nasty, and spiteful”, but spared Atherton immediate custody due to her work on Covid wards during the pandemic. She received a 12-month sentence, suspended for 18 months, with 250 hours of unpaid work, 20 rehabilitation days, and £1,500 compensation to the victim.
