Blackmailer demanded £500 ransom to return woman’s dog

Two-year jail sentence for former neighbour who held a grudge against pet owner A man who kidnapped a bank director’s dog and demanded a ransom of £500, in revenge for her failure to help secure him a loan, has been jailed for two years. Gabriel Radzikowski, 29, was furious that his former neighbour Sara Lilly, 48, was unable to use her position as a regional director at a high-street bank to help him get a loan. He broke into the back garden of her home in Bath and stole her Yorkshire terrier, Bilbo Baggins. He later phoned her using a false name, claimed he had found the pet and demanded £500 for its safe return. But Lilly recognised his voice and called the police. Radzikowski dumped Bilbo in a freezing pond but a passer-by spotted the dog and plucked it to safety. Sentencing Radzikowski at Bristol crown court, Judge Michael Longman told him: “Your motive was financial and to get your own back. It was planned, calculated and cruel. You did not feel the slightest regret or remorse for your actions.” The court was told that Radzikowski had lived in the flat above Lilly’s but was forced to move out because he could not afford the rent. During their time as neighbours he asked her to secure him a bank loan that he had an “unreasonable expectation” of being granted. In December last year Lilly found her dog was missing. As she searched, she received a phone call from Radzikowski who pretended to be someone called Martin. He said he had found her dog and would only return it if she provided a £500 reward. She phoned the police and then received a call from a walker who had rescued the dog after spotting it bobbing in a small area of open water in an otherwise frozen pond. Lilly told the court that she was particularly upset because she was so close to her dog. She said: “I don’t have children so he is my child really in a certain way. He is my pet and I love him.” During his trial Radzikowski alleged that Lilly had tried to frame him because he had once turned down her offer to pay him £100 if he spent the night with her. Sentencing him, Judge Longman described his claims as scurrilous, adding: “You pleaded not guilty despite strong evidence and made scurrilous claims against Sara Lilly which took her aback in court. “You befriended Sara Lilly when you lived in her building. She was friendly and welcoming and you formed unreasonable expectations of how she could help you get a loan. When she couldn’t help you, you sought to take it out on her.” Radzikowski was sentenced to 12 months for blackmail and 12 months for intimidation, to be served consecutively. Crime Animals Steven Morris guardian.co.uk

Posted by on June 10, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.