A FEUDING farmer has been spared jail after he and a friend framed a man for crimes he did not commit.

Stuart Blythman and Vickii Hope’s lies led to the victim being “unjustifiably” arrested and held in custody for four hours while police quizzed him about complaints of assault and criminal damage.

Teesside Crown Court heard how there had been “bad blood” between both men and their families with Blythman going through an acrimonious divorce with his wife, now the victim's partner.

The 47-year-old, who lives at Anesty Court, Bishopton, near Stockton, was visiting a pet shop in Coxhoe when by chance he encountered the complainant.

He told police he been barged in the shoulder by the man, who he said also damaged the wing mirror of his car.

Hope, who had accompanied him, but remained in the car, made a statement to officers saying she had seen the alleged assault.

But CCTV from the ‘incident’ did not tally with their version of events, while prosecutor Graeme Gaston said there was no sign of damage to the vehicle.

Both Blythman and Hope admitted perverting the course of justice on April 17 this year, having initially denied and maintained any wrongdoing.

Jonathan Harley, mitigating for Blythman, said there had been a “litany of accusation and counter-accusation” between the parties.

Mr Harley said: “This was a spat which spiralled out of control and has developed into something more serious.

“Once the marriage is at an end there will be absolutely no reason for this acrimony to continue.”

The barrister said the threat of going to prison had been punishment enough for Blythman.

Zoe Pasfield, for 27-year-old Hope, of Morrison Terrace, Ferryhill, said she was a naïve young woman who kept horses and assisted Blythman at his family farm.

She said: “She made a statement saying she had seen the assault to support her friend, but now fully accepts it was not true.”

Judge Tony Briggs described the victim's experience as “highly unpleasant”, but said the peculiar circumstances of the case meant it was just possible to spare Blythman immediate prison.

He gave him a nine month jail sentence, suspended for two years, and said he would be supervised by the probation service for 12 months.

Hope, whose involvement he said was of a lesser degree of culpability, received a four month jail sentence, also suspended for two years.