Man Jailed for Threatening Stepsister in Inheritance Dispute

Raymond Birnie received a jail sentence for almost ten years. This followed a bitter family dispute involving his stepsister and brother. The dispute started over their father’s inheritance in 2015.

The trouble began in 2017. Birnie used his brother’s name to email his stepsister and made a threat. He warned her to stop the legal case and threatened to crash a car into her home.

Birnie kept sending emails and repeated the car threats. He also abused his stepsister and falsely accused her of child abuse. This was a smear campaign.

In late 2017, Birnie wrote to his stepsister and threatened to distribute leaflets. The leaflets would claim she groomed children online, as she lived near Ely with her partner.

Birnie followed through with his threat and sent the leaflets in March 2018. The leaflets seemed to come from a child activist group and included her photo and address. He sent more threatening letters, too.

Police arrested Birnie in March 2018. He claimed his brother made the threats, so police arrested his brother, but they cleared him after finding evidence that Birnie framed him.

After being found guilty, Birnie fled and lived in a campervan with fake license plates. He also attacked a bailiff and threatened a surveyor in Suffolk with a knife.

Birnie got a nine-year, three-month sentence. The court found him guilty on multiple charges, including witness intimidation and actual bodily harm. The sentencing happened on February 17th.

The judge called Birnie’s actions “meticulously planned” and described them as manipulative and vindictive. A restraining order now protects his stepsister.

A detective praised the victims’ courage. He said the damage Birnie caused was immeasurable, but justice finally prevailed in this complex case.