Lesbian 'bigamist' pleads guilty

A Shrewsbury lesbian "bigamist" today admitted "marrying" her girlfriend without divorcing her husband.

In the first case of its kind in Britain, Suzanne Mitchell, 30, of Wingfield Gardens, Ditherington, admitted making a false statement by declaring to superintendent registrar Majorie Dunning on February 1 that she had not been through any form of marriage or civil partnership before.

Mitchell, who appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court today, held a civil partnership with Caroline Beddoes in Shrewsbury last year while still being married to Charles Mitchell, breaking the Civil Partnership Act 2004.

Prosecution barristers had said the charge should be considered as one of bigamy.

Mr Michael Brogan, for Mitchell, said today: "This is an unusual case.

"It is the situation that she has reconciled her relationship with her husband and the partnership which was entered into has effectively fallen apart."

Mitchell spoke only to say the word "guilty" during the hearing. Judge Robin Onions told the court he could not rule out custody at this stage.

He said he was not impressed by the amount of media coverage Mitchell had already coveted. During the court case this morning the judge held up an article in a gossip magazine and said she appeared to show little remorse and advised her not to do any more interviews.

Judge Onions said: "All options including custody remain open. No more articles please." Mitchell will be sentenced after August 6.