Lawyer had estranged husband arrested after relationship with younger woman
Susilla Mercer, 44, posted vitriolic messages on social media about Gerard Flynn's South American girlfriend, calling her 'flat-chested, scruffy and trampy', adding: 'Penthouse to s---house does not even cut it.'
Mercer made unfounded allegations of assault against her husband, which resulted in him being arrested and questioned by police, a court heard.
When he was released without charge, Mercer messaged him saying: 'I am sorry I got you arrested but I did not want to spend £200 to £300 an hour on a watertight divorce.
'The copper then took it out of my hands and I spent the time with two barristers trying to get you out to make sure that the CPS did not take it further.'
She denied the harassment of 42-year-old Mr Flynn and the racially aggravated harassment of Shelina Kurz, who is in her 30s.
Mercer, whose Runcorn-based firm Mercer Law was shut down in 2023 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority after allegations of dishonesty, was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, at Warrington magistrates' court.
She was also banned from contacting the couple for 12 months under the terms of a restraining order and ordered to pay £804 in cost and a victim surcharge.
The couple were together for seven years before separating in October 2022. Mr Flynn said the marriage broke down as a result of Mercer's alcoholism.
Her harassment of the couple was said to have taken place between January 2023 and July last year.
Kassem Noureddine, prosecuting, said Mr Flynn had received multiple voice notes and direct messages since January 2023 that he described as 'rambling' and 'derogatory'.
In online posts, Mercer said of Ms Kurz: 'So the divorce proceedings are down to a scrote getting a visa. F--- me. Her forehead is so big you could draw a picture on it.'
'It affected my life massively'
Mr Flynn, 42, who lives in Liverpool, said he had suffered from constant anxiety that prevented him from leaving the house for fear of being arrested again.
In a statement, he said: 'My mental health declined rapidly and my friend had to pick me otherwise I would not go to work. After speaking with people, I believe I have a form of PTSD. It affected my life massively.'
In the run-up to the court hearing, Mercer, who married Mr Flynn at Peckforton Castle, Cheshire, in 2020, posted pictures online of her wedding invitations with the caption: ''What a waste of £60,000. Cheating lying f-----.'
Sarah Bailey, defending, said: ''This is an acrimonious divorce, and a new partner has been introduced. This has affected the defendant quite significantly and there are concerns about her mental health, but she does have support...
'She wants to put across that the allegations were of a serious nature along with some assaults that she told police he had committed against her but there was not enough evidence to convict, and she is quite upset that nothing was done about that. She is here for what she says is just a couple of Facebook messages.'
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