By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 04:15 EST, 10 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:13 EST, 10 October 2013 . Claire Smethurst, a former escort, paid a corrupt detective to frame her ex-boyfriend . A former escort paid a corrupt detective to plant drugs or a shotgun on her ex-boyfriend after they broke up - but backed out of the deal and reported him. Claire Smethurst, 48, who claims judges and barristers are among her clients, was said to have gone on a 'champagne spree' and asked Det Con Daniel Withnell to plant the goods in Leroy Thomas’ car for £30,000, saying: 'I need the f***** sorting out.' However, soon after she left a £19,000 'desposit' with Withnell during a meeting at a flat, Smethurst called the deal off, reporting the rendezvous to Withnell’s colleagues. Manchester Crown Court was told Withnell, who was serving in Greater Manchester Police’s Salford Division at the time, was already been under suspicion of corruption and was a frequent gambler with a ‘lifestyle beyond his means’. The bent officer planned to double-cross Smethurst and keep the cash and had no intention of carrying out the plan. Details of the plot emerged as Smethurst, from Bolton, was given a 15-month sentence, suspended for two years after pleading guilty to perverting the course of justice. Withnell who has since been sacked pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office and perverting the course of justice and is in custody awaiting sentence. The court heard how the plot was hatched in September last year after Smethurst, who has homes in Manchester and Marbella was was ‘distraught’ to learn the CPS were not proceeding with a complaint of assault she had made against Thomas. She opened a bottle of bubbly and began confiding her woes in a series of text messages to Withnell whom she befriended in a tanning salon he owned in Bolton. Withnell, who had been a police officer for 11 years, suggested to Smethurst via text that he could plant a shotgun in the car of her former lover in exchange for a cash payment of £30,000. She agreed to the plan and they met at a friend’s Manchester flat on the afternoon of October 1. He then left the premises with £19,000 cash as a downpayment on the pretence that the plan was to go ahead. But the following morning she texted Withnell several times saying the deal was off and asked to get her money back. She also contacted another serving policeman she knew and gave him some details about what had happened. He reported the matter to his superiors and counter-corruption police officers then set up a meeting with Smethurst in a Manchester hotel on October 12. She told them about Withnell and gave them her phone so they could access text messages. Manchester Crown Court (pictured) was told Withnell, who was serving in Greater Manchester Police's Salford Division at the time, was already been under suspicion of corruption and was a frequent gambler with a 'lifestyle beyond his means' Withnell was arrested and suspended on October 22 last year. Legal proceedings are now being taken to seize the £19,000 he accepted from Smethurst as proceeds of crime. Sentencing Smethurst, who has now quit the escort industry Judge Michael Henshell said: 'I do not accept the extent of your drunkenness but I do accept you had been drinking. Evidence in your texts seems to indicate you were in full control of your senses.' 'You went along with the suggestion and it is obvious Withnell left your premises with £19,000 and for some time you were of the view that the plan was going to be arranged. 'The next day at 9.17am you made it clear you didn’t want anything to do with the plan and following that you contacted another police officer you knew and reported it to him and he reported it to relevant authorities. 'After that you did assist the police and were interviewed and you allowed the police to take your phone which had the text messages. After the combination of those factors Withnell did plead guilty. 'This is a very grave offence but your offence is mitigated to a great extent by your behaviour afterwards and the short duration it lasted for and the fact it was suggested by Daniel Withnell himself.' Claire Smethurst, pictured in a photograph from her Facebook, who claims judges and barristers are among her clients, was said to have gone on a 'champagne spree' and asked him to plant the goods in Leroy Thomas' car . Withnell has also admitted abusing his position as a serving Greater Manchester Police officer to access a police database and get information from officers investigating a man. The court was told that Withnell, aged 30, of Heaton, did not intend to carry out the plan to plant evidence on Mr Thomas. He has already pleaded guilty to two counts of misconduct in a public office and intending to pervert the course of justice. He is currently in custody and will be sentenced at a later date. Yesterday Judge Henshell sentenced Smethurst to 15 months in prison, suspended for two years. He told her that perverting the course of justice is 'always a very grave offence' but that her criminality was mitigated by her behaviour afterwards, because it only lasted a short time and that the plan was initially Withnell’s, not hers. Legal proceedings are now being taken to seize the £19,000 she paid to Withnell as proceeds of crime.
Claire Smethurst paid Det Con Daniel Withnell a 'bung' of £19,000 .
She had asked him to plant drugs or a gun in car of Leroy Thomas .
Soon after she backed out of the deal and reported him to colleagues .
Smethurst sentenced to 15 months in prison, suspended for two years .
Withnell has pleaded guilty and will be sentenced at a later date .
By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 04:15 EST, 10 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:13 EST, 10 October 2013 . Claire Smethurst, a former escort, paid a corrupt detective to frame her ex-boyfriend . A former escort paid a corrupt detective to plant drugs or a shotgun on her ex-boyfriend after they broke up - but backed out of the deal and reported him. Claire Smethurst, 48, who claims judges and barristers are among her clients, was said to have gone on a 'champagne spree' and asked Det Con Daniel Withnell to plant the goods in Leroy Thomas’ car for £30,000, saying: 'I need the f***** sorting out.' However, soon after she left a £19,000 'desposit' with Withnell during a meeting at a flat, Smethurst called the deal off, reporting the rendezvous to Withnell’s colleagues. Manchester Crown Court was told Withnell, who was serving in Greater Manchester Police’s Salford Division at the time, was already been under suspicion of corruption and was a frequent gambler with a ‘lifestyle beyond his means’. The bent officer planned to double-cross Smethurst and keep the cash and had no intention of carrying out the plan. Details of the plot emerged as Smethurst, from Bolton, was given a 15-month sentence, suspended for two years after pleading guilty to perverting the course of justice. Withnell who has since been sacked pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office and perverting the course of justice and is in custody awaiting sentence. The court heard how the plot was hatched in September last year after Smethurst, who has homes in Manchester and Marbella was was ‘distraught’ to learn the CPS were not proceeding with a complaint of assault she had made against Thomas. She opened a bottle of bubbly and began confiding her woes in a series of text messages to Withnell whom she befriended in a tanning salon he owned in Bolton. Withnell, who had been a police officer for 11 years, suggested to Smethurst via text that he could plant a shotgun in the car of her former lover in exchange for a cash payment of £30,000. She agreed to the plan and they met at a friend’s Manchester flat on the afternoon of October 1. He then left the premises with £19,000 cash as a downpayment on the pretence that the plan was to go ahead. But the following morning she texted Withnell several times saying the deal was off and asked to get her money back. She also contacted another serving policeman she knew and gave him some details about what had happened. He reported the matter to his superiors and counter-corruption police officers then set up a meeting with Smethurst in a Manchester hotel on October 12. She told them about Withnell and gave them her phone so they could access text messages. Manchester Crown Court (pictured) was told Withnell, who was serving in Greater Manchester Police's Salford Division at the time, was already been under suspicion of corruption and was a frequent gambler with a 'lifestyle beyond his means' Withnell was arrested and suspended on October 22 last year. Legal proceedings are now being taken to seize the £19,000 he accepted from Smethurst as proceeds of crime. Sentencing Smethurst, who has now quit the escort industry Judge Michael Henshell said: 'I do not accept the extent of your drunkenness but I do accept you had been drinking. Evidence in your texts seems to indicate you were in full control of your senses.' 'You went along with the suggestion and it is obvious Withnell left your premises with £19,000 and for some time you were of the view that the plan was going to be arranged. 'The next day at 9.17am you made it clear you didn’t want anything to do with the plan and following that you contacted another police officer you knew and reported it to him and he reported it to relevant authorities. 'After that you did assist the police and were interviewed and you allowed the police to take your phone which had the text messages. After the combination of those factors Withnell did plead guilty. 'This is a very grave offence but your offence is mitigated to a great extent by your behaviour afterwards and the short duration it lasted for and the fact it was suggested by Daniel Withnell himself.' Claire Smethurst, pictured in a photograph from her Facebook, who claims judges and barristers are among her clients, was said to have gone on a 'champagne spree' and asked him to plant the goods in Leroy Thomas' car . Withnell has also admitted abusing his position as a serving Greater Manchester Police officer to access a police database and get information from officers investigating a man. The court was told that Withnell, aged 30, of Heaton, did not intend to carry out the plan to plant evidence on Mr Thomas. He has already pleaded guilty to two counts of misconduct in a public office and intending to pervert the course of justice. He is currently in custody and will be sentenced at a later date. Yesterday Judge Henshell sentenced Smethurst to 15 months in prison, suspended for two years. He told her that perverting the course of justice is 'always a very grave offence' but that her criminality was mitigated by her behaviour afterwards, because it only lasted a short time and that the plan was initially Withnell’s, not hers. Legal proceedings are now being taken to seize the £19,000 she paid to Withnell as proceeds of crime.
detective to plant drugs or a shotgun on her of the deal and reported him. Claire Smethurst, 'champagne spree' and asked Det Con Daniel Withnell to plant the goods in Leroy Thomas’ car out.' However, soon after she left a £19,000 spree' and asked him to plant the goods in Leroy be sentenced at a later date. Yesterday Judge Henshell sentenced Smethurst to 15 months in prison, suspended for two years. He told her that