Stalker dognapped ex’s pet then share picture of it in his front room
Dozy stalker is jailed for two years after being caught out dognapping his ex’s beloved Bischon Frise when she recognised picture of his own front room in his ransom note
- Kevin Rhowbotham met his new partner while they were both walking their dogs
- Four months in he dumped her, saying children were grieving for dead mother
- After telling this lie, he became jealous when he heard she was seeing someone
- Jailed for two years and made to pay £1,000 compensation after snatching pet
Rhowbotham (pictured) snatched his ex-partner’s dog after he heard that she might be seeing someone else
A dozy stalker who kidnapped his ex’s dog then sent her blackmail photographs that showed the pet in his front room has been jailed for two years.
Kevin Rhowbotham broke into his victim’s home while she was at work, snatched her 11-year-old dog Louis and sent ransom notes warning he’d be ‘dead’ if she called police.
The 65-year-old took the dog when he heard the woman might be seeing someone else after he dumped her.
When the devastated woman offered a £1,000 reward for her pet’s safe return, he sent another note demanding the same sum.
But he ‘idiotically’ included photographs of Louis taken in his home – showing a cream lounge carpet the victim recognised.
Rhowbotham claimed he was a widower despite his wife actually being in a care home suffering from dementia.
Prosecutor Phillip Evans said the pair were keen dog walkers and struck up a friendship while exercising their pets in June last year.
Just four months into the relationship, Rhowbotham dumped his new partner, telling her that his wife had died and his children were upset by the woman visiting.
But then when Rhowbotham heard the woman might be seeing someone else he became jealous.
Louis was returned safely to his owner (right) after the stalker unwittingly gave away the location of the pet by sharing a picture that showed his carpet (left)
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On November 20, the woman returned home at 3.10pm and discovered ‘immediately that one of her dogs called Louis wasn’t there’.
A Facebook group called FindStolenLouis was formed and posters were also put up, She then received a letter with Louis’s dog tag inside which stated: ‘We have your dog and want £500 for his return.’
This picture of the 11-year-old dog was shared online following his safe return
But after learning of the £1,000 reward, Rhowbotham wrote anonymously again, saying he wanted that amount, warning: ‘No delay. No calling the police or phoning friends or buying time.’
But the woman’s daughter and friends went to see him after spotting his carpet in the photographs, and Rhowbotham confessed, saying Louis was in Market Weighton.
He ‘frankly admitted’ to cops he had wanted to hurt the woman, adding he was besotted with her.
Rhowbotham admitted snooping on her and said ‘if he could monitor her for 24 hours, seven days a week, he would’. The stalker from Breadsall, Derby, admitted blackmail, burglary and harassment.
Kevin Blount, mitigating, said the behaviour was ‘out of character’, and his client had suffered depression and stress.
Jailing Rhowbotham for two years at Hull Crown Court, Recorder Darren Preston told him: ‘For her it was almost as if you had kidnapped a child.
‘I accept your behaviour was bizarre and unacceptable, but you were clearly out of control with your obsession with her.’
Rhowbotham was ordered to pay £1,000 compensation, and made subject to an indefinite restraining order.
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