A HAMPSHIRE woman falsely accused of stalking her former lover’s wife has been given a restraining order.

Veronica Tann, 50, had been charged with stalking Debra Lendrum and perverting the course of justice but Judge Peter Ralls QC threw out the case against her midway through the trial.

Driving instructor Steve Lansley, who told the jury he had a sexual relationship with Debra's husband John, claimed to police that Tann had forced him to lie to police and covertly record an interview with officers, but Judge Ralls said this suggestion was “not only contradicted by the evidence, but frankly ridiculous”.

During the trial Tann, of Senaga Close, Botley, also admitted having an affair with Mr Lendrum and sending a package to Mrs Lendrum which caused her distress, and Judge Ralls imposed a restraining order on Tann forbidding her from contacting either John or Debra Lendrum or going within 500 yards of the road they live on.

The Daily Echo can now reveal that Mrs Lendrum, who wept as she gave evidence to the jury, was previously the victim of a woman dubbed “Britain’s worst stalker”.

In 2006 Maria Marchese was imprisoned after a horrifying campaign of harrassment against Mrs Lendrum and her then fiancé Dr Jan Falkowski, a psychiatrist and powerboat racer.

Mrs Lendrum was bombarded with texts including death threats – one telling her she would be burnt in her wedding dress – and warnings to cancel the wedding.

Instead the police told the couple to stage a fake wedding in Poole, and Marchese was caught in a phone box nearby making a call to Debra’s flat.

But far from being the end of the horror, it was only the beginning. Marchese falsely accused Dr Falkowski of rape, and it later emerged that she had gone through his bin to find a condom with DNA evidence to help substantiate the claim.

Police took the claim seriously and it was only on the eve of Dr Falkowski’s trial at the Old Bailey that evidence was found to prove that the rape did not happen.

It transpired that Marchese was the partner of one of Dr Falkowski’s patients and that she launched the stalking campaign after becoming obsessed with him.

This extended to breaking into the couple’s boat while they were out and leaving all the gas taps on, as well as telling Mrs Lendrum that a hitman had been hired to kill her.

Praising Mrs Lendrum for her bravery in court, Judge Ralls said: “You could not help but feel very real sympathy for her when she came bravely to court and gave evidence in what must have been a very trying ordeal.”