Dean Foord, a 33-year-old from Rochester, Kent, was sentenced to three years in prison at Maidstone Crown Court on June 30 after being found guilty of multiple abuse charges. Police discovered him hiding inside a fridge in a desperate attempt to evade arrest.
Six Months of Abuse and Control
Foord subjected his victim to relentless physical and mental abuse over six months. He controlled her social media accounts, forced her to cut contact with all friends and family, and only allowed her to leave the house with his permission. He spent her money on gambling, drugs, alcohol, and scratch cards.
On one occasion, Foord locked the victim in a room and only let her out after making her bark like a dog. She was not allowed to have a phone; whenever she did, Foord deliberately damaged it. He even forced her to sell one of her phones to pay off a drug debt he had incurred.
Violent Incidents and Threats
Foord subjected the victim to serious physical abuse. He dragged her by the neck, pushed her to the floor, and banged her head into the ground. When she tried to escape, he followed her to another property and threw a brick through a window, putting the homeowner in fear for her life. He also filmed himself threatening the victim with a knife, saying he was going to kill her, and threw a bucket of dirty water over her.
Arrest and Conviction
Foord was arrested in December last year and found in possession of cocaine. Bodycam footage shows officers discovering him hiding in a fridge. An officer is heard saying, "Hello mate, out you come," while Foord claims he has a broken foot and repeats, "Be nice."
Following a trial, Foord was found guilty of actual bodily harm, criminal damage, threats to kill, common assault, controlling and coercive behaviour, and possession of a class A drug. He was jailed for three years at Maidstone Crown Court on June 30.
Police Statement
George Fisher from Kent Police said: "Foord is a violent bully who used fear, violence and intimidation to control almost every aspect of the victim's life. He tried to hide from officers in a fridge, but there are no hiding places. This shows that we will track offenders down and bring them to justice. I also commend the victim for the courage she has shown in coming forward and helping to secure this conviction."
