Nadine Smith, 38, pretended she had been taken hostage by a criminal gang in Jamaica who were threatening to kill her unless her lover Chris Laytham paid up

A care worker who faked her own kidnapping to try and get a £25,000 ransom from her lover has walked free from court.

Nadine Smith, 38, pretended she had been taken hostage by a criminal gang in Jamaica who were threatening to kill her unless her lover Chris Laytham paid up.

The 56-year-old received a picture in December of Smith tied up and gagged, wearing a t-shirt with the words 'gold digger' written on it, which he recognised.

However, Southwark Crown Court heard today Smith was actually in her Battersea flat all along.

Mr Laytham had already given her £100,000 over their five year relationship and even helped her buy a house in Jamaica.

He chose not to send any money but notified the police about the texts and the possible kidnapping.

Scotland Yard's kidnap squad found all the calls and texts had been made in the UK and that Mr Laytham had been the victim of an attempted fraud.

They went to her address and arrested Jamaican born Smith who pleaded guilty to one count of blackmail last month.

Today the single mother-of-two was told how close she had come to being jailed as she was given a 18 month sentence, suspended for 12 months.

Prosecutor Douglas Adams told the court Mr Laytham had been the manager of the estate Smith had lived on and the pair started a relationship in 2010, but it cooled off over a period of time.

'He says over the period up to the end of December last year he had given the defendant £100,000,' explained Mr Adams.

'Indeed he helped her buy a property in Jamaica that he was hoping they would retire to.

'In December last year the defendant told him her mother was ill in Jamaica and she wanted to go there to see her and care for her.'

The court heard he gave her the money for the flight and an operation totalling £3,000.

Mr Adams continued: 'Then on the 16th of December a series of messages are received by Mr Laytham.

'The first one was a man speaking with a Jamaican accent who said "who is Chucky to you", referring to the defendant. He said they were going to kill her.'

He then received a message from her and she told him: 'They have got me and they want money'.

The victim then received two pictures, one of a close up of Smith's face with a gag in her mouth, the second of her hands tied up behind her back to give the impression she had been kidnapped.

Mr Adams said: 'He then got another message saying the person was going to kill her if the money wasn't paid. He was also told if he contacted anyone she would die.'

The court heard about other messages, including one from Smith which said 'two other people had been with her and they had been killed because no-one had paid the money that had been asked for.'

In another message she claimed she had 'soiled herself' because she was so scared.

Mr Laytham eventually tried to get in contact with Smith's brother but did not pay any of the money.

Instead he went to Lewisham police station and reported the messages.

Kidnap squad officers examined the phone calls and messages, and found they had been made in this country.

However, Southwark Crown Court (pictured) heard today Smith was actually in her Battersea flat all along. Mr Laytham had already given her £100,000 over their five year relationship and even helped her buy a house in Jamaica. He chose not to send any money but notified the police about the texts and the possible kidnapping

They went to her home address and found her there as well as the t-shirt and tape seen in the photos.

In interview she admitted she had made the whole thing up, but said her mother was really sick and she wanted the money to help her.

Her lawyer Andrew Frymann said the incident was a 'prank which had gone too far' and insisted Smith was only seeking attention because she felt under appreciated.

Sentencing, Judge Andrew Goymer said: 'Blackmail is a particularly odious offence, sometimes described as moral murder.'

He did point out that this case was 'not particularly sophisticated' as not method of receiving payment from the victim had been set up, but had caused him 'anxiety'.

Judge Goymer added: 'This was nevertheless a particularly mean and cruel deception on the victim with the hope the defendant would get more money from him.'

He added the fact Smith was a single parent was 'not a get out of jail free card' but he was 'just persuaded he was able to suspend' on the count of her early plea and the lack of sophistication of the scam.

Speaking directly to her, he said: 'Normally for blackmail you would go straight to prison, but I have suspended it. You should know it was a very close run thing.'

Smith wept in the dock as the she was given her suspended sentence, and two other counts of fraud were ordered to lie on the file.