MAID OF DISHONOUR
NEWS COPY - WITH PICTURES- by Beth White
A wife who imprisoned her maid after offering her cash to sleep with her rich husband as part of a bungled divorce plot narrowly avoided jail today (Mon).
Scheming Dina Matiass, 35, wanted her cleaner and childminder Niressa De-Vincente, 36, to have sex with hubbie Zekri - for £200.
Mum-of-four Dina was then going to use 'evidence' of the affair as proof of adultery to launch a divorce battle against her rich husband.
But the plot backfired and Mr Gris, 56, who owns shops including newsagents and post offices, accused the maid of stealing money from him.
He and his wife, who have four boys aged 10, 7, 6 and 5, then tied her up in their £650,000 home with blue rope and handcuffs.
He threatened her with a knife to make her 'confess' to nicking £12,000 - with the pair even filming the 36 hour ordeal at their posh house in Bishop Sutton, Somerset.
But after three days the maid wriggled free of her binds and used the rope to climb out of a window.
She was then spotted by a neighbour running down the street wearing just a nightie and the police were called.
Dina was today (Mon) given a twelve month prison sentence suspended for a year after pleading guilty to one count of false imprisonment.
Her husband had already pleaded guilty to the same charge and was jailed for three years at an earlier hearing.
Prosecuting Mr Ian Fenny said today: "We heard of the bizarre request to engage in a relationship with her husband to file for divorce.
"All was not well in the marriage between the primary defendant and his wife."
The Filipino maid started working for the Egyptian couple after her student visa had expired.
She had been happy as an employee of the family since February 2015 - but was then offered money by Dina to sleep with him.
Mr Penny told an earlier hearing: "She was offered £200 from the other defendant [Dina] to sleep with her husband to obtain evidence to mount a divorce case."
But then after a family party last June, Gris accused the maid of stealing £12,000 from him which she strongly denied.
Gris then lured her downstairs before grabbing her and taking her to the kitchen and tying her up.
He aimed to intimidate her into confessing to the theft, shouting at her, while a large knife lay next to him on the table.
Video footage, taken by Gris's wife, shows the woman sat on a chair and trussed up with a blue clothesline while Gris shouts at her, accusing her of stealing thousands.
Niressa was then taken to another room where she was tied up by her legs and ankles with a rope and bound using furry, leopard print handcuffs.
But after nearly three days she managed to loosen herself from the rope and used it to clamber out of the window and escape.
She then fled, wearing just her nightdress and the handcuffs, before running into retired neighbour, who helped the victim and called the police.
Defending, Ms Sarah Regan said: "It is right to say the idea wasn't hers. She did not once assault Nerissa.
"It is true she offered Nerissa £200 above and beyond her normal salary and she put herself at risk as that was something that she did without her husband's knowledge.
"She had no idea what was in her husband's contemplation. She is ashamed that she went along with her husband's part."
His Honour Judge William Hart said: "I have no doubt at all that you were dragged into this event by your husband,
"I am also satisfied the marriage was one that was abusive and controlling so it was not difficult for him to draw you in.
"He had an abusive history of conduct towards you but you had a choice to make.
You made the choice to become involved.
"Your involvement was very much as a minor player in this enterprise but your filming in this instance clearly gave him encouragement to enable him to go on with the enterprise he had undertaken."
He added: "You also have four young children under ten and for that reason it would be wrong if I sent you to prison today."
ENDS
