Paul Blight (pictured) waged a smear campaign against David Hynam after he was spurned by the Bupa chief’s boyfriend
A banking executive who tried to destroy the career of the boss of Bupa following a one-night stand with his partner has avoided jail.
Paul Blight waged a smear campaign against David Hynam after he was spurned by the healthcare chief’s long-term boyfriend.
The 41-year-old, who worked for banking giant JP Morgan, sent a malicious letter falsely accusing Mr Hynam of launching a prolonged homophobic hate campaign.
Mr Hynam, who has an ‘extremely high profile role’ at Bupa, was placed under investigation at work and faced losing his job over the matter.
Blight invented the allegations after being spurned by Ross Levine, who he had a one night stand with in February 2016.
Blight wanted to carry on the affair but Mr Levine told made it clear to him he was not interested as he had been with My Hynam for nine years.
Magistrates heard Blight bombarded Mr Levine with telephone calls and texts to such an extent the victim blocked Blight and thought that was an end to the matter.
But while he was away on a break in Devon in December 2016, Blight hand-delivered a letter to Mr Levine’s mother’s house.
The incident left Mr Levine distressed as he had never given any details to Blight about where his mother lived.
He and Mr Hynam, who live in Bournemouth, Dorset, decided not to go to the police at that point, hoping it would stop.
Mr Levine didn’t hear from him again until April this year when he received an email which said ‘call me or come and see me, I do not appreciate being attacked by you and your family for over 300 days’.
Mr Levine had no idea what Blight was talking about and blocked him on that email address.
Nearly two weeks later Mr Hynam was called out of a meeting at work by the department that handle complaints and told serious allegations had been made against him.
Blight claimed in his letter that the hate crime had been running for 320 days and he had reported it to the police.
But the court heard the police had no record of the alleged crime.
Jennie Hopson-Hill, prosecuting, told magistrates in Poole: ‘Mr Levine had a one night occurrence with this defendant in February 2016 but after that night he only saw him if there was other mutual friends around.
‘After constant calls and texts Mr Levine went on to block him from every social media and means of contact possible.
David Hynam (pictured), chief executive of Bupa UK, was subjected to a smear complain by JP Morgan banker Paul Blight
‘It appeared to work until December when he received a phone call from his mother saying she had a hand-delivered letter addressed to him at her house.
‘On April 12 [Blight] sent a letter direct to Bupa stating Mr Hynam was involved in a homophobic and discrimination hate crime against him.
‘[Blight] said the hate crime had been running for 320 days and he had reported it to the police.
‘The letter had a career threatening impact on Mr Hynam due to the very high profile role he held. He was under investigation at one point as well but it didn’t go ahead.
‘Mr Hynam and Mr Levine were extremely distressed by this behaviour.’
Magistrates found Blight guilty of harassment of Mr Levine over a four-month period from December 2016 to April 1 this year and sending a letter which conveyed false information in relation to Mr Hynam.
Blight, who represented himself, told the magistrates he did not know why he had been found guilty.
He said he didn’t think his behaviour towards Mr Levine constituted harassment and that the letter was not sent to Mr Hynam but to the board of directors and data protection laws should protect him until the case is investigated.
Blight said he plans to appeal the decision.
Magistrates gave him a four-month prison sentence but suspended it for 12 months and ordered him to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and pay £735 costs.
Blight was also given a two-year restraining order banning him from contacting either Mr Levine or Mr Hynam, or going to their home in Southbourne, Bournemouth.