Woman pretending to be a police officer admits racially or religiously aggravated harassment
A Sunderland woman who pretended to be a police officer to racially harass a female salon boss during a spate of bizarre evening phone calls could be jailed.
Leanne Sheppard, 46, repeatedly called her victim’s business number to claim she was being investigated for allegedly employing illegal immigrants, a court heard.
Sheppard, of St Cuthberts Terrace, Millfield, warned she planned a spot check visit but refused to supply her badge number or any evidence she was a serving officer when quizzed.
She made at least 43 phone calls on Friday, August 29, some from a withheld number but others revealing her registered identity, prosecutor Clare Haswell said.
But her allegation was a vicious fiction, stemming from her hearing an alleged conversation outside the unnamed outlet involving people she believed were linked to it.
At South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, Shepherd pleaded guilty to charges of racially or religiously aggravated harassment without violence and impersonating a police constable.
In a statement, the victim said Sheppard’s behaviour had led to her not eating or sleeping from worry, and she added: “I don’t know why I’m being targeted.”
District Judge Zoe Passfield adjourned the case for an all-options report, meaning Sheppard could be jailed when she returns to be sentenced on Thursday, April 9.
Ms Haswell said: “The victim is a business owner of a hair salon and states that she was informed by her partner that they had received a phone call on the business contact number from an unidentified female.
“They had stated to the victim’s partner that she had the identity of persons at the business and that they were illegal immigrants.
“Her partner ended the call but has received 12 more missed calls from a number ending 5988.
“There were further calls, and the caller identified herself as PC Sheppard and that she was going to the business for a spot check.
“The business owner asked for details of her identity, such as her badge number and station. The defendant said she would give them on the day when she came to check.
“She ended the call because she did not believe that she was a police officer. There were further calls received later that day.
“In one, the caller said, ‘You’re employing illegal immigrants’. There were then 10 further calls from a private number to her personal number.”
The court heard Sheppard has 10 previous convictions from 16 offences, the last for being drunk and disorderly in 2012.
Chris Wilson, defending, said: “There is background that gave rise to this.
“Outside of the shop that day, she was speaking to a mixed-race person, and someone followed them out and said not to speak to a white person.
“The offence can be described as an aberration. Quite clearly, the court will benefit from reports.”