Strang man admits paedophile gang allegations were false

43-year-old carried out year-long campaign against two men

A court's heard a Strang man carried out a year-long campaign of harassment against two men he falsely accused of being in a paedophile gang.

Andrew Fenton of Cronk Grianagh appeared before magistrates at Douglas courthouse.

The 43-year-old had denied harassing the men but changed his plea to guilty last month.

Prosecution advocate Barry Swain told the hearing said Fenton had started making claims on social media last September, and sent messages to the men, their families, friends and colleagues.

Police investigated his claims - arresting both men - but couldn't find any evidence to support Fenton's allegations they'd committed historical sex offences against children.

However, he continued to post on Facebook, leaving one man so terrified he'd considered taking his family and leaving the Isle of Man.

Magistrates told Fenton, who runs glazing company Window Wizards, his campaign had devastated innocent people and only a custodial sentence was appropriate.

He was jailed for 16 weeks, suspended for two years, and fined £2,000.

He was also ordered to pay £125 towards prosecution costs and banned from identifying his two victims under a restraining order.