Woman stalked married ex-lover and accused him of rape after he returned to his wife

A fitness instructor began stalking a man and accused him of rape after their ‘casual’ relationship broke down and he returned to his wife.

Rebecca Hooper, 43, and Brian Townsend, 47, made their victim's life "hell" after contacting friends and family claiming he had raped Hooper and branded him a "predator". Townsend also turned up at the victim's home and place of work and placed trackers on his car.

A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court heard Hooper met the victim at the Bridgend Life Centre where she worked and they began a "casual relationship" he described as "friends with benefits". But the relationship came to an end after he got back together with his wife.

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Prosecutor Christopher Evans said Hooper called the victim and asked to resume their previous sexual relationship and sent texts multiple times a day. She would comment on Facebook posts related to his son and was looking at photographs going back years. The victim's wife received a friend request from the defendant and she commented on her posts, WalesOnline reports.

Because of her conduct, the victim blocked Hooper on social media and WhatsApp and from sending messages to his phone. She told him that her partner Townsend had found messages between them and was "upset" about it. The victim told her he wanted nothing to do with it and ended the call but he started to receive abusive calls from Townsend who accused him of being a rapist.

In June 2023, Townsend turned up at the victim's home and spoke to his adult daughter, shouted abuse at her, and referred to her father as a "sexual predator". Hooper's mother also called the victim and accused him of forcing her daughter to