A MOTHER of four who staged a fake burglary and then blamed it on her ex-boyfriend has been given a suspended jail sentence by a judge.

Anita Bird, 22, pointed the finger at her estranged partner, Eddie Thomas, after he moved out of the couple's Ingoldmells home and returned to South Yorkshire to be closer to his children.

Lincoln Crown Court heard Bird caused nearly £2,000 worth of damage to the couple's former rented house in Windsor Court after becoming angry when Mr Thomas failed to attend a scan for their baby.

Bird told police a friend's laptop computer and her purse containing cash and bank cards had been taken during the burglary and she suspected Mr Thomas who had recently moved out, the court was told.

Detectives found damage to a rear lock and Mr Thomas was forced to attend a voluntary interview with police where he was questioned under caution about the burglary.

Andrew Scott, prosecuting, told the court Mr Thomas was never charged but added: "There was a period of time where he was under suspicion and he was interviewed as a suspect."

When the alibi given by Mr Thomas checked out police began investigating Miss Bird, Mr Scott said.

They found Miss Bird had contacted a friend and asked if her partner would burgle the property which he refused to do.

Further investigations showed the laptop computer had also never been stolen.

Bird was questioned by police and eventually admitted faking the burglary to get back at Mr Thomas.

In mitigation the court was told Bird now lived with her aunt in South Yorkshire and was the mother of four children all aged under 3.

Bird, now of Windsor Square, Thurnscoe, South Yorkshire, admitted charges of criminal damage and perverting the course of justice on June 17, last year.

She was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, suspended for two years, and was placed under the supervision of a probation officer for two years.

Judge Michael Heath told her: "If somebody perverts the course of justice they usually go to prison.

"In this case because of your youth and immaturity, your personal difficulties and the fact you have four children all under 3, I can draw back from that."