A mother of five who tried to persuade a witness in court proceedings involving her brother to drop the case has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Sentencing 37-year-old Katie Wood, Judge Nicola Talbot-Hadley said she had been “poorly treated and overly influenced” by the men in her life and had been persuaded by her brother to contact his former partner and influence her into not going ahead with allegations she had made against him.

Wood, of Hooper Square, Bury St Edmunds, had previously pleaded guilty at Ipswich Crown Court to attempting to pervert the course of justice dating back to 2021.

She was given a six-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and a ten-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

She was also made the subject of a two-year restraining order banning her from contacting the victim of the charge.

Steven Dyble for Wood said his client was “vulnerable to suggestion” and had used subtle threats and bribery to get the victim to drop the allegations against her brother.