A ‘spiteful’ nurse who secretly put hair removal cream into a bottle of conditioner in revenge for using her toiletries has admitted administering poison.
Kate Atherton, 34, emptied half a bottle of conditioner before refilling it with Veet hair removal cream.
Her former partner was ‘devastated’ when her hair began falling out, a court heard – and feared she would be forced to shave it all off.
Atherton had bragged about her scheme in voice notes and text messages to friends.
In the audio messages, which were played during her trial at Preston Crown Court, she was heard devising the plan after becoming annoyed when her ex-partner kept used her favourite Rituals toiletries.
In one, Atherton said: ‘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 unnamed victim, who was with Atherton for four years, said: ‘My hair has grown so thin and straw-like, I have had to buy hair extensions.
‘I have found it hard to trust anybody. It has made me question everything in my life. I feel like she will never leave me alone. I’m terrified of what is next.’
A ‘spiteful’ nurse who secretly put hair removal cream into a bottle of conditioner in revenge for using her toiletries has admitted administering poison. She had her trial at Preston Crown Court (pictured, file photo)
Kate Atherton, 34, emptied half a bottle of conditioner before refilling it with Veet hair removal cream (pictured, file photo)
In the audio messages, which were played during her trial at Preston Crown Court, she was heard devising the plan after becoming annoyed when her ex-partner kept used her favourite Rituals toiletries (pictured, file photo)
Judge Graham Knowles KC told Atherton: ‘What a mean, nasty and spiteful thing to do.
‘The reality is that people have relationships and break up all the time and, yes, it can make people behave in a way they normally wouldn’t and, yes, some of that can be understandable and forgivable.
‘This was far beyond any normal range of behaviour.’
The court heard that Atherton began to struggle after her relationship broke down in October 2023, and she was charged with assault and drink-driving after her behaviour took a ‘complete turn’ last year.
However, the specialist respiratory nurse at Royal Preston Hospital avoided an immediate jail sentence for what she did to her ex-partner thanks to her work on Covid wards during the pandemic.
On Friday, she received a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, after pleading guilty to administering poison.
She must also carry out 250 hours of unpaid work, undergo 20 days of rehabilitation and pay her former girlfriend £1,500 in compensation.
