A specialist respiratory nurse swapped her ex-partner's hair conditioner with hair removal cream in a calculated act of revenge. Kate Atherton, 34, carried out the "nasty" plot after her former partner used her favourite Rituals toiletries, leaving the victim "devastated" when her hair fell out.
Atherton bragged about her scheme in voicenotes to friends, saying: "If she's going to be a c***, I'm going to be a c***." She explained her method in the recordings: "In my conditioner I have emptied half of it and put the Veet (hair removal cream) inside it so when she uses my conditioner again she's going to lose half of her hair."
The victim used the tampered conditioner on 30 October 2024, causing her hair to fall out and leaving her fearing for her safety. The couple had been together for four years before their relationship ended in October 2023.
Court proceedings
Preston Crown Court heard how Atherton pleaded guilty to administering poison. Judge Graham Knowles KC described her behaviour as "unpleasant", telling her: "What a mean, nasty, and spiteful thing to do."
The judge said: "The reality is that people have relationships and break up all the time, and yes, it can make people behave in a way they normally wouldn't, and yes, some of that can be understandable and forgivable. This was far beyond any normal range of behaviour." Atherton received a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and must complete 250 hours of unpaid work, 20 days of rehabilitation, and pay £1,500 compensation to her victim.
The court heard that in 2024, Atherton's behaviour took a "complete turn" and she started behaving out of character, receiving charges for assault and driving with excess alcohol. This pattern of deteriorating behaviour provided context for the revenge plot that shocked the court.
Professional impact
Atherton works as a specialist respiratory nurse at Royal Preston Hospital and was spared immediate jail time due to her work on Covid wards during the pandemic. Her professional status as a healthcare worker made the calculated nature of her chemical assault particularly shocking.
The victim described lasting trauma in her personal statement: "My hair has grown so thin and straw-like, I have had to buy hair extensions. I have found it hard to trust anybody. If my trust can be betrayed once it can be betrayed again."
Sources used: "LancsLive", "Mirror", "Manchester Evening News" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
