A FATHER and daughter who ran a property letting business got a pregnant woman tenant arrested by lying to police.

Louisa Hunt was taken from her place of work by police and held for five hours after John Hardy, 64, alleged she had stolen kitchen items including a washer and tumble dryer when she left the property in Stockport.

Ms Hunt, insisted she had every right to remove the items from the house on Greenbank Road, Heaton Mersey, as they had been given to her by the previous occupant.

John Hardy, who worked part-time as a letting manager for his daughter Caroline’s business, GB Lettings, produced an inventory apparently bearing Ms Hunt’s signature to back up his claim.

It listed all items that should have remained in the property including the washing machine and dryer.

At Minshull Street Crown Court, Gavin Howie prosecuting, said however that she had never signed the document.

Hardy later admitted to police that he had forged her signature on the paper himself.

Caroline Hardy 31, supported her father by claiming she had been present when it was signed by Ms Hunt.

She was found guilty by a jury of attempting to pervert the course of justice following a crown court trial.

Judge Adrian Smith, who passed suspended prison sentences on both father and daughter, told them: "You must have come across all kinds of problems involved in the property letting business, particularly when tenants move on.

"There are proper ways of resolving such problems in the courts, but in this case an innocent woman who was four months pregnant was locked up for five hours as a direct result of your false complaint.

"There were two very serious consequences: the wrongful arrest and detention of a person, and interference with the administration of justice."

He told them that only their previous exemplary good character had saved the pair from being sent directly to prison.

Austin Welch, for Caroline Hardy, told the court his client had been involved in property letting since the age of 16.

She had become a ‘moderately successful businesswoman’ after buying the firm she now owned some years ago.

"This was totally out of character, and she does realise the impact upon the person that was arrested" he added.

Rachel Faux, for John Hardy, said he had taken an ‘exceptional’ course of action but had not realised the level of seriousness involved.

John Hardy, of Wilbraham Road, Fallowfield, who had pleaded guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice, was sentenced to a four-month prison term, suspended for 18 months.

He was also ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work in the community.

Caroline Hardy, of Waterloo Road, Bramhall, Stockport, was given a six-month jail term suspended for 18 months.

She was also and ordered to carry out 180 hours’ unpaid work.