'˜Vile, abusive messages' as school mum wishes cancer on Luton headteacher

Mum-of-two Lisa Ridley, 29, wished cancer on Surrey Street Primary School headteacher Denise Meadows in a string of Facebook rants.

Ridley, of Crawley Green Road, also slandered Mrs Meadows by accusing her of employing “paedophiles” in online posts she made over ten days in July last year.

Appearing at Luton Magistrates Court yesterday, Ridley was sentenced to six weeks imprisonment, suspended for 18 months.

Chair of the bench, Christine Jones, told Ridley: “There were multiple messages and they were vile, abusive and threatening. They caused considerable distress to the injured party.”

In addition to the malicious comments, out-of-work Ridley was also found guilty of obstructing a police officer.

The court was told Ridley had previously been banned several times from the school premises.

She was made to pay a victim surcharge of £80, a fine of £120 for obstructing a police officer, as well as prosecution costs of £300.

Magistrates also granted a two-year restraining order banning Ridley from contacting the headteacher in any way. Mrs Jones said: “This is necessary to protect Mrs Meadows.”

In 2014, the Herald and Post interviewed Ridley after her son was banned from a playground over Facebook comments she had made about its management.