Nurse swapped ex's conditioner for hair removal cream in revenge for using her toiletries

A nurse swapped her ex's hair conditioner for hair removal cream in a "nasty" revenge act for using her toiletries, a court heard.

Kate Atherton, 34, left her former partner "devastated" following the act of vengeance and bragged about her plans in voicenotes to her pals. Atherton said she was left raging after her ex used her favourite Rituals toiletries in shocking messages heard by Preston Crown Court. In the messages, which were played out in court, Atherton could be heard devising the plot to get back at her ex, saying: "If she's going to be a c***, I'm going to be a c***."

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In the voicenotes, Atherton also said: "In my conditioner I have emptied half of it and put the Veet (hair removal cream) inside it so when she uses my conditioner again she's going to lose half of her hair."

The victim, who was with Atherton for four years, used the conditioner on October 30, 2024, which made her hair fall out and left her fearing for her safety, according to LancsLive.

Atherton, a specialist respiratory nurse at Royal Preston Hospital, was spared from an immediate jail sentence due to her work on Covid wards during the pandemic. She admitted she had begun to spiral when her relationship broke down in October 2023.

The victim, in a personal statement, said: "My first thought when it happened was that I might have to shave my head. My hair has grown so thin and straw-like, I have had to buy hair extensions. I have found it hard to trust anybody.

"If my trust can be betrayed once it can be betrayed again. It has made me question everything in my life. I feel like I'm not going to get her out of my life. I feel like she will never leave me alone. I'm terrified of what is next."

The court heard how in 2024, Atherton's behaviour took a 'complete turn' and she started behaving out of character, receiving charges for assault and driving with excess alcohol. She pleaded guilty to administering poison.

In Preston Crown Court, Judge Graham Knowles KC, described Atherton's behaviour as "unpleasant". He said: "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."

Atherton was handed a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. She has also been ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work, 20 days of rehabilitation, and pay £1,500 in compensation to the victim.