Brandon Woolveridge, 25, was sentenced to 27 months in prison after blackmailing one of his previous victims, Mandy Butler, within two weeks of his early release from jail. Woolveridge had been serving a 42-month sentence for a series of blackmail incidents related to missing pets but was released early under a government scheme aimed at reducing prison overcrowding. He returned to his previous criminal behavior soon after, demanding £1,000 from Butler for the return of a lost dog, later reducing the demand to £500 and threatening her if she involved the police.
Butler, who volunteers with the Lost Dog Tracking Team, quickly recognized Woolveridge’s voice from past incidents, reported him to police, and recorded a call where he made threats. Woolveridge’s defense noted his guilty plea as a mitigating factor, though Judge Heather Lloyd called him a “thoroughly dishonest person,” sentencing him to a reduced term of 27 months for his admission.
This recent case highlights Woolveridge’s history, including his previous convictions on nine counts of blackmail and 73 similar offenses, where he exploited pet owners’ distress over missing animals. Butler, who has volunteered for 11 years, shared the impact of his actions on pet owners, including an elderly man with terminal cancer, and expressed dismay at Woolveridge’s early release, questioning the court’s decision given his swift reoffending.
