Bigamist with four husbands at 23 is jailed

The Daily Telegraph ^ | January 28, 2004 | David Sapsted

[Cincinatus' Wife]

A woman who was married to four men at the same time by the age of 23 was jailed for six months yesterday.

Judge Peter Thompson described Amileannya Carmichael, a part-time model, as "a very predatory female".

She repeatedly changed her name on her marriage certificate to avoid detection and left her fourth husband heartbroken after only a few months when she moved in with one of his friends.

Judge Thompson told her at Ipswich Crown Court: "It is important the public knows that marriage is upheld as an institution by the courts. Marriage is still an important component of our social fabric and it deserves respect."

The court heard that Carmichael, now 25, married for the first time in December 1996 in York, a day after her 18th birthday. Her husband was Paul Rigby, a soldier, but they split up when he was posted abroad.

In 1999 she married Sean Cunningham in Leeds and the next year took Chris Barratt in Rotherham as husband No 3. West Yorkshire police were alerted about her two unlawful marriages and she was cautioned for two offences of bigamy in August 2001.

By February the following year Carmichael had left Mr Barratt and met James Matthews on a train.

Within a month she had moved into his home in Ipswich, proposed to him and married him at St Thomas's Church, Ipswich, where he was a member of the congregation.

Michael Crimp, prosecuting, said Carmichael told Mr Matthews that she had been married twice before but that those marriages had been annulled. A week after the wedding she told him that she was still married to her third husband.

When she moved in with one of Mr Matthews's friends and rejected her husband's pleas to go back to him, he told the police that she had still been married when she married him.

Charles Riddleston, defending, said: "When she was arrested, she told officers, 'Oh yeah, I'm guilty aren't I?' She made no bones about it."

A psychiatric report showed that Carmichael had a personality disorder that made her alternate between periods of excitement and depression. Sentencing her, Judge Thompson said: "You are an attractive young woman and you might be described as a very predatory female.

"The Yorkshire police treated you as generously as they could. You could easily have been prosecuted then. You did this with your eyes open and quite clearly flouted the law."

[GeronL]

hhsssss hhhsssss reeeeoooowwww!!!... stay away from the alien feline-lizard in heat!!! reeeooowww!!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I don't want to hear feminists crying about how hard it is to find a man. Apparently there are plenty of willing men out there waiting for proposals.

[GeronL]

they could always look in a place like Alaska where is supposed to be way more men than women

[alloysteel]

Technically, the specific term would be "polyandry", "many men". "Bigamy" is "two women". Not sure if that is the same legal definition, however.

[goldstategop]

Wow.... she certainly needed more men to satisfy her than most women can dream of in a lifetime. I wonder if each of the hubbies knew they were sharing the same woman. LOL

[Cincinatus' Wife]

....and with so many discerning men to accommodate her behavior.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Bump!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Hopefully, they're smarter in Alaska.

[BykrBayb]

I don't want to hear feminists crying about how hard it is to find a man. Apparently there are plenty of willing men out there waiting for proposals.

No, they're all married to one woman.

[Iwo Jima]

Then that woman needs a break.

[Prodigal Son]

I don't know if you've ever seen the Chris Rock bit where the female keeps asking "Where's the other condom?"

I can picture one of these guys asking "Where are the other 15 condoms?"

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Single men.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I missed that one.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

They gave her a warning.

***West Yorkshire police were alerted about her two unlawful marriages and she was cautioned for two offences of bigamy in August 2001. ***

[Prodigal Son]

Guy comes home with one condom missing from the pack. The rest can be extrapolated ;-)

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Are they being rationed?

[Gil4]

She apparently is about to get a break - 6 months worth

[Pilsner]

"Polyandry" means a woman with multiple husbands. "Polygamy" means a man with multiple wives. These are descriptive terms that do not impart any moral or legal judgment as to the legality of having engaged in multiple marriages at the same time, and may be used in nations where such practices are legal or illegal. "Bigamy" is the crime of engaging in multiple marriages at the same (where such a practice is forbidden) without reference to the sex of the offending party.

[Hon]

"Polyandry" means a woman with multiple husbands. "Polygamy" means a man with multiple wives."

You're getting closer.

The corresponding term for polyandry (many men--husbands) for men is polygyny (many women--wives).

Polygamy just means many times married. The root "gamos" meaning "marriage" in ancient Greek.