A jealous woman who sent a dead mouse "belly up" in a Jiffy bag to her ex-boyfriend’s new partner has been given a two-year suspended prison sentence.

Poppy Carter, 29, was recently convicted of stalking Carly Bradbury during the course of a seven-month hate campaign last year.

Carter poured white paint and then later a corrosive substance over Miss Bradbury’s work van while it was parked outside the home she shared with Carter's ex, Alex Roberts, in Watford.

At one point, she employed a private investigator to find out where her ex-boyfriend and his new love were living, sending anonymous letters and cards to the address.

She also sent Miss Bradbury a sinister card depicting a cat closely watching a goldfish in a goldfish bowl.

Passing sentence, Recorder Leslie Cuthbert told Carter her actions had been "despicable, evil and vindictive".

He said she had displayed no remorse during her trial for what she did to Carly.

"This conduct was intended to maximise her distress," he told her.

Carter was told she deserved a custodial sentence for her actions but that the term was suspended for two years.

She was also handed a six-month night time curfew, ordered to carry out 84 hours of unpaid work, and told to pay £500 towards the prosecution costs. 

Recorder Cuthbert also made a restraining order which forbids Carter from making any contact with Carly.

He said it was his profound hope that Carter would mature and get over her relationship with her ex which he said had ended some time ago.

The court was told how Carter's own mother was even arrested in connection with harassing Miss Bradbury and made the subject of a restraining order.

Carter, now of Upper Lattimore Road in St Albans but who at the time was living in Hemel Hempstead, was found guilty of stalking Miss Bradbury, plus causing serious alarm and distress to her, following a trial in July.