A woman from Bournemouth was handed a suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to blackmailing her ex-husband, a local dentist, by making false claims that he was drinking between patient appointments. The accusations prompted an investigation by the General Dental Council (GDC), which ultimately cleared the dentist of any wrongdoing.

Dina Williamson, 39, sought to pressure her ex-husband, Ben Williamson, 41, into increasing the financial terms of their divorce settlement by threatening to report him to the regulatory body. The couple, who married in 2022 after meeting in 2019 and have children from previous relationships, divorced in 2024 following a period of separation attributed in part to changes in Dina Williamson’s behavior linked to cannabis use.

According to court testimony, Ben Williamson, a King’s College London graduate with 16 years of experience in dentistry and a recovering alcoholic, made it clear that all communications regarding the divorce or any related matters were to be handled solely through his solicitors. After he blocked her attempts to contact him directly, Dina Williamson proceeded with her threat in May 2025, submitting allegations to the GDC that he had been consuming alcohol while working. The regulatory investigation concluded in February 2026 without taking action against him.

Prosecutor Lydia Stephens told Bournemouth Crown Court that Dina Williamson’s efforts to leverage these claims were motivated by financial desperation, pointing to messages where she expressed struggles with rent payments and reliance on food banks. The messages included admissions of blackmail and requests for additional funds. Stephens emphasized that the complainant found the process deeply distressing and that the allegations were “malicious and salacious” in nature.

In a victim impact statement, Ben Williamson described the ordeal as “wholly upsetting,” highlighting the added strain caused by the false accusations amid the acrimony of the divorce. He noted the lasting stress and anxiety caused by the nine-month investigation and suggested he had been willing to support his ex-wife but that she had chosen substance use over their family.

Judge Jonathan Fuller sentenced Dina Williamson to three months in prison, suspended for 12 months, and imposed a five-year restraining order to prevent her from contacting her former husband. The judge remarked on the seriousness of the attempt to damage Mr. Williamson’s professional reputation through unfounded and vexatious claims.