An 'embittered' ex-wife threatened to report her dentist husband to regulators over claims he was drinking between patients in a bid to extort more money following their divorce.
Dina Williamson, 39, tried to sabotage Ben Williamson's career with the 'malicious and salacious' lies after they separated, a court heard.
She threatened to report him to the General Dental Council (GDC) unless he paid her more money from their divorce settlement she felt she was entitled to.
When he refused to communicate, and told her to speak to his lawyers, she went ahead with her threat and contacted the GDC which launched an investigation.
Mr Williamson, 41, an alcoholic in recovery, had to wait nine months before he was formally cleared of any wrongdoing.
He described the stress and anxiety he was put under before being cleared. He reported his ex wife to police.
At first she tried to deny she had attempted to blackmail him but was shown screenshots and messages she had sent him.
In one she told him she was relying on food banks and her credit cards were maxed out adding: 'I don't want to ruin your career going to the GDC.'
When Mr Williamson blocked her messages she replied: 'No chance of a reply? See you at my funeral then?'
She also posted on the private practice's Facebook page that some of the male dental surgeons were unfaithful to their wives.
Williamson was handed a suspended sentence at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday after admitting blackmail.
Dina Williamson, 39, pictured leaving Bournemouth Crown Court after she was handed a suspended sentence for blackmail. She was also given a five-year restraining order
Her ex husband Ben Wilkinson had been a dentist for 16 years when she made the allegations
Dina Williamson was also handed a five-year restraining order to not contact her ex husband
Williamson, from Bournemouth, Dorset, (pictured on social media) pleaded guilty to a charge of blackmail and was given a three-month prison sentence suspended for 12 months.
The court heard she acted out of 'sheer desperation' and felt she was entitled to more than she received in their divorce settlement.
Mr Williamson made it clear to communicate only through solicitors but she 'persisted'.
Mr Williamson, who graduated in dentistry at King's College London, said he 'would have moved the world for Dina' but 'she decided to make the [divorce] process as acrimonious as possible'.
Lydia Stephens, prosecuting, said the couple, who have children from previous relationships, met in 2019 and married in 2022.
The court heard Williamson's behaviour changed due to her use of cannabis and the pair split up and divorced in 2024.
Miss Stephens told Bournemouth Crown Court: 'In March 2025 Dina Williamson raised the issue of going to the GDC.
'In April 2025 Ben Williamson made it clear he didn't want to speak to her and to communicate through his solicitors. He blocked her.
'In May 2025 matters escalated and Dina Williamson messaged him saying she couldn't pay her rent and it all feels like a death sentence.
'She said she felt she had exhausted all options and didn't want to go to the GDC but she was left with no option.
'The message went on to say 'I am relying on foodbanks and credit cards are maxed out. I don't want to ruin your career going to the GDC.'
When he didn't respond Williamson messaged: 'No chance of a reply? See you at my funeral then.'
Miss Stephens said: 'He didn't respond and the threat to GDC was carried out on the 27th of May alleging that Ben Williamson, an alcoholic in recovery, had been drinking at work.
'The GDC investigation concluded in February 2026 with no further action.'
In his victim impact statement Mr Williamson, a dentist of 16 years, said: 'Dina reported to the GDC a vexatious claim I was drinking alcohol between seeing my patients, something they were duty bound to investigate.
'The threat of a fitness to practise case was distressing. It would have threatened my career.
'The GDC was satisfied this was a false accusation.
'It has been wholly upsetting. This lifechanging experience of divorce was compounded by these lies, threats and greed.
'I would have moved the world for Dina but she chose marijuana over her family. She decided to make the process as acrimonious as possible.'
Lucy Conroy, in mitigation, said: 'She has suffered a mental health crisis from the breakdown of her relationship. This was a crime that came out of sheer desperation.
'The prelude to the threat to the GDC was 'I am desperate.' She was relying on foodbank vouchers and her credit cards were maxed out.
'She knows what she did was wrong and a custodial sentence fills her with absolute terror.'
Williamson, from Bournemouth, Dorset, pleaded guilty to a charge of blackmail and was given a three-month prison sentence suspended for 12 months.
Judge Jonathan Fuller told her: 'You become embittered by what you saw as unfair treatment.
'You made salacious and vexatious allegations against him to the GDC. These things take time to investigate and not until February the investigation dismissed the complaints.
'You sought to undermine and damage his professional reputation. Whatever your state of mind, you were trying to damage him unless he gave you money and that is blackmail.'
As well as a suspended prison sentence Williamson was also handed a five-year restraining order to keep away from her ex-husband.