News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A jilted lover who wore a fake baby bump and tormented her ex after their relationship ended has been jailed.

Jessica Nordquist's "sad descent" began when a brief relationship with colleague Mark Weeks finished briefly after they met at a City PR firm last July.

The American citizen, who was described as "intelligent, resourceful and well educated", bought a fake baby bump on Amazon as she pretended to be eight weeks pregnant.

A Judge ruled the 26-year-old's "bizarre" behaviour stemmed from a childhood trauma, before jailing her for four-and-a-half-years today.

Nordquist sent messages to Mr Weeks' clients accusing him of rape, and set up a fake account for him so she could send out a 'confession' email to make it appear he was owning up.

The relentless campaign also saw her set up at least 20 fake Instagram accounts and post similar claims online.

(Image: central news)

In April, she faked her own kidnap and said her abductors had assaulted and raped her - but she was discovered safe and well in Scotland by police.

Nordquist, originally from Alaska, was convicted of two counts of stalking, two counts of sending malicious communications and one count of perverting the course of public justice in October following a five week trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

It was said today that she still maintains her innocence - despite the jury's guilty verdict.

Nordquist, of previous good character, appeared in the dock wearing glasses and a thick scarf and smiled and said 'thank you' as her sentence was passed.

The court heard a psychiatrist concluded that an early childhood trauma involving an eating disorder may be the cause of certain personality traits that led her to the offending.

Sentencing her, Judge Paul Southern said: "You are an intelligent, resourceful and well educated young woman with no previous convictions.

"You came to the UK to advance your career in the company.

(Image: Enterprise News and Pictures)

"This has been lost because of what you have done. That potential for advancement in the company has been extinguished,

"I have described your behaviour as bizarre. It's very unsurprising that police asked for you to undergo a mental health assessment when they arrested you.

"A consultant forensic psychiatrist has written a report on you.

"I am satisfied that your early traumatic experiences has shaped your personality and it's his professional opinion that your offending can be understood as arising from those personality traits that have resulted.

"That does not excuse or justify your offending behaviour, but it does help to explain it.

"Those who know you provided written confirmation that your behaviour is wholly out of character."

It was said the campaign of harassment affected other workers at the PR company and caused irreparable damage to the business as clients received emails claiming there had been a 'rape cover up'.

(Image: central news)

Friends and family of Mr Weeks were also targeted in the lead up to Nordquist faking her own kidnap, which Judge Southern said was 'bizarre' and a waste of scarce police resources.

In a victim impact statement, Mr Weeks said he had suffered significant emotional and mental injury from the campaign of harassment.

Reading it to the court, the prosecutor said: "He felt unsafe in his own home.

"He was constantly scared and on the edge about what might happened next to him.

"He mentions specific occasions where he would receive a text from an unknown number saying he was being watched and his home was being watched.

"He says: 'I was absolutely terrified'. When he arrived somewhere it always spoiled his enjoyment. He was always looking around to see if he recognised anyone and if anyone looked suspicious.

(Image: central news)

"He also refers to his brother who has children and receiving at least one message referring to them and he found that particularly distributing that his family were being put in fear."

Nordquist was jailed for two years and six months for the stalking charges and two years for the malicious communications charges, to run concurrently.

She was jailed for a further two years for the kidnapping incident to run consecutive to the two years and six months giving a total of four years and six months.

She will serve at least half of her sentence before she is eligible for release and will serve the remainder on license.

An indefinite restraining order was also issued banning her from communicating Mark Weeks and a HR manager at Unruly and former friend of Nordquist's, Olivia Goodman.