A senior crown prosecutor who committed a “grave” breach of trust to access information on his work computer system about his deputy district judge wife’s new partner has received a suspended jail term.

Solicitor Scott Ainge, 48, was cleared last month of stalking Kate Ainge, 41, who he is now divorced from, but convicted of three counts of unauthorised access of information when using the Crown Prosecution Service computer system between October 2016 and February 2017.

The lawyer, who specialised in domestic violence cases, accessed details of convictions of her then partner, Liverpool Crown Court heard.

During the trial, the prosecution alleged that between September 2016, when Ms Ainge revealed she had been having an affair, and January 2018 there were 43 incidents which amounted to Ainge tracking her movements, 23 incidents of him tracking her car, 54 threats by him to reveal highly personal information, 11 unwanted visits to her home, five episodes of him monitoring her Facebook page and one incident where he accessed her iPad.

Ainge accepted carrying out all the acts he was accused of as part of the stalking charge, but his barrister, Ian Whitehurst said they were done for reasons including emotional upset, to gather evidence of her infidelity for the divorce, and to protect their daughter.

Sentencing Ainge on Tuesday, Mrs Justice Steyn told the defendant he had accessed the information for his own benefit in the divorce proceedings.

She said: “You wanted to win. Your offending was deliberate, planned and persistent.

“As a senior Crown prosecutor employed by the Crown Prosecution Service you were entrusted with wide-ranging access to personal confidential information. You committed a grave breach of trust.”

Mr Whitehurst, defending, said Ainge would lose his job with the CPS and faced the “real risk” of the end of his career in the law profession.

He said: “Mr Ainge fully accepts that in effect the end of his employment is due to his behaviour, which he bitterly regrets. He wishes to rebuild his life.”

An extensive number of testimonials from work colleagues, fellow church members and people in his community reflected his positive good character as “a man you could have a pint with and watch the rugby”, added Mr Whitehurst.

Imposing a 20-week jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, Mrs Justice Steyn said she took into account Ainge’s “strong” personal mitigation, that he was sole carer for his elderly mother, and that there was a “realistic prospect” of rehabilitation.

Ainge, of Camellia Drive, Leyland, Lancashire, must also complete 100 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation activity requirement of 20 days.

A restraining order prohibiting contact with Ms Ainge was also made by the judge.