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Dover couple jailed for perverting the course of justice

Wednesday, 2 December 2015
A Dover couple have been jailed for perverting the course of justice.

Dover couple jailed for perverting the course of justice
Graham William Totterdell, aged 70 and April Lesley Totterdell, age 46, both of Glenfield Road, Dover have been sentenced after pleading guilty to perverting the course of public justice. Graham Totterdell received a 20-month prison sentence, which included 16 months for perverting the course of justice and 4 months for harassment.

Dover couple jailed for perverting the course of justice
April Totterdell received a 16-month prison sentence for perverting the course of justice. They were each ordered to pay £1500 to the victim and have been given a five-year restraining order.

The pair admitted making false allegations to Kent Police concerning a neighbour. Graham Totterdell also pleaded guilty to harassment against the same victim.

The case came about following a boundary dispute between Mr and Mrs Totterdell, who own another property in Minnis Lane, River, and the victim.

Over a period of eight months in 2014 and early 2015 the Totterdells made statements to Kent Police which were proven to be untrue. The false allegations were of a very serious nature.

The victim was also subjected throughout this period to different forms of harassment, including unsolicited visits from various trades people, taxi drivers, unsolicited brochures and mail, and dog faeces sent through the post.

They also paid 22-year-old Jay Bates of Rose Gardens, Minster, Ramsgate to damage the victim's windows. This culminated in the wrong house being targeted on the first occasion where a window was smashed on their behalf, followed by further damage to their intended victim's home later in January 2015.

Bates was sentenced earlier at Folkestone Magistrates' Court after admitting criminal damage to two houses in River in January 2015. He was ordered to do 130 hours of unpaid community work and to pay compensation to the victims.

PC Ian Woodland, the officer in the case said: "This has been a complicated case and with the support of the witnesses and the victim, Mr & Mrs Totterdell have now been sentenced by the court for making the victim's life a misery.

"Their web of lies goes to show the lengths they went to in this deceit. They portrayed themselves to the press as being victims, and were recently on the front page of a local newspaper. It goes as a warning to others that making false allegations is a very serious offence and Kent Police will investigate appropriately."

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