Jealous lover hijacked former partner’s Alexa account

A judge declared, "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" while sentencing a woman who had accessed her ex-boyfriend's Alexa, from more than 100 miles away, and then posted a naked picture of him on Facebook.

Phillippa Copleston-Warren hijacked the voice-controlled device, controlled lights and appliances in her former partner's Lincolnshire home, and terrified his new girlfriend by shouting "get the wh*re out".

Copleston-Warren had previously pleaded guilty to a single count of disclosing private sexual photographs with intent to cause distress. She claimed she had used her joint access to the system and CCTV cameras in order to check up on her diabetic support dog which was staying with her ex-partner.

However, sentencing her to three months in jail, suspended for a year, Judge John Denniss said he did not believe the only reason she was upset was because of the dog. He said: "There was an element which was nasty, of jealousy, of revenge, and irrational behaviour which led to fury-like behaviour in you. I use the word because it reminds me of the aphorism, 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned' and here there are elements of that fury."

The judge described Copleston-Warren, a former project manager at BP, as a "woman of exceptional character and behaviour" who had worked hard for charities because she was unable to seek paid employment due to her medical condition.

Jacob Bindman, defending, said Copleston-Warren suffered from hypoglycaemia deriving from diabetes which often caused her difficulties. He said: "Whilst in an emotional state, she was also suffering the effects of hypoglycaemia and as the doctor makes clear that can mean and does mean some irrational cognitive function and irrational behaviour considered aggressive and unreasonable. This is something that's happened in the past and resulted in some difficulties."

The court heard that her ex-partner had felt completely violated after the naked picture went viral and reached contacts and family members in Pakistan. After Copleston-Warren, of Chelsea, west London, posted the naked picture of her former boyfriend on Facebook, she refused to remove the image and even changed his password so that he was locked out of his account.

In a victim impact statement, her former boyfriend told Isleworth Crown Court the ordeal had been very upsetting and had left him requiring therapy and struggling to sleep.

The judge issued the 46-year-old Copleston-Warren a seven-year restraining order banning her from contacting her ex-boyfriend or going within 100m of any of his three homes.

E&K Solicitors

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