Barrow blackmailer who conned cash for missing pets jailed

A blackmailer who "humiliated" his victims and threatened to kill their missing pets has been jailed.

Brandon Woolveridge, 24, previously of Melbourne Street, Barrow-in-Furness, lied to his victims and claimed he had found their lost animals.

He demanded money for their return and threatened to abuse the pets.

He was convicted of nine counts of blackmail and one count of theft and jailed for 44 months at Preston Crown Court on Thursday.

Woolveridge told one dog owner he would never see his pet again and would use the dog for breeding.

He threatened to shoot another victim's dog if the owner put the phone down and did not send him £1,000.

After he was paid £1,000 from another victim, he laughed and said: "Now I can buy a new car."

One of Woolveridge's victims said: "The fact that he was mocking me made me feel completely humiliated.

"I don't think I will ever forget the way he made me feel that day."

Similar cases of blackmail were reported across the country but police found they were all linked to Cumbria.

Officers launched Operation Façade and arrested Woolveridge after analysis of phone evidence linked him to the cases.

He was initially charged and pleaded guilty to two counts of blackmail but was convicted of nine counts of blackmail and asked for 73 similar offences to be taken into consideration.

Woolveridge was sentenced to 42 months in prison at Preston Crown Court on Friday.

Det Insp Amanda Sykes said: "[Woolveridge] made this ordeal even more traumatic by firstly raising [his victims'] hopes that their pet would be returned, then frightening them into believing he would harm their pets if he did not get money.

"They would then have their hopes dashed and their money taken when they realised this was all a lie."

Woolveridge was also convicted of theft after stealing a wheelchair owned by a vulnerable girl.

The girl was unable to go outside due to the theft and the family was forced to buy a new one as it was damaged.

Woolveridge was sentenced to two months' imprisonment to run consecutively to the blackmail sentence.

Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].