A man released from prison under the government’s early release scheme has been jailed again for blackmailing one of his previous victims. Brandon Woolveridge, 25, was originally sentenced to 42 months in October last year for blackmailing individuals over their missing pets. Just two weeks after his release on September 11 or 12, he was arrested again by Cumbria police for attempting to extort £1,000 from a victim for the return of a missing dog.
In court, prosecutor Paul Brookwell explained that the victim, Mandy Butler, a volunteer with the Lost Dog Tracking Team, had received a threatening call demanding money just two days prior, which she recognized as coming from Woolveridge. During the second call, he demanded £500 upfront, claiming he would drop the dog off at a vet and threatening that if police were involved, she would never see her dog again. Butler chose to report Woolveridge to the authorities instead of paying.
Woolveridge’s defense attorney, Tanya Elahi, pointed to his guilty plea as the main mitigating factor and requested consideration of his youth, arguing that maturity can develop slowly in young men.
In her sentencing, Judge Heather Lloyd highlighted Woolveridge’s dishonest behavior, noting his claim of being a “man of his word” while simultaneously threatening Butler. The judge sentenced him to three years in prison, which was reduced to 27 months due to his guilty plea.
Woolveridge had previously been convicted of nine counts of blackmail, with 73 similar offenses considered during his sentencing. He had targeted numerous victims across the country, responding to social media posts about lost pets and, in some cases, threatening harm to the animals if his demands were not met.
In a statement read to the court, Butler expressed her distress over Woolveridge’s actions, emphasizing her commitment to helping reunite families with their pets. She described the emotional toll on victims and highlighted a recent case involving an elderly man battling cancer, calling the impact “heartbreaking.”
Butler also shared her shock that Woolveridge could reoffend so quickly after his release. In a conversation with the Guardian, she recounted her experiences with Woolveridge, noting that she recognized his voice immediately during the calls. “My stomach turned,” she said, suspecting he might have access to a phone while in prison. She expressed disbelief that he was released so soon, labeling the decision as “absolutely shocking” and “appalling.”