Kelly Smith and Craig White jailed for kidnapping woman

Kelly Sue Smith and Craig White snatched Kimberley Pitcher off the street and kept her at their home in Bournemouth for four days believing they were owed money.

They would not let her use her mobile phone without supervision and warned her: “You call the police and we’ll batter you”.

Smith, 42, and White, 41, were found guilty of kidnapping after a trial at Bournemouth Crown Court where their victim said she was forced to steal bottles of alcohol from shops.

The pair were acquitted of a modern slavery charge but did plead guilty to assault by beating.

Craig White and Kelly Smith (Image: Dorset Police)

A sentencing hearing at the same court on July 27 heard how Kimberley Pitcher had previously stayed at the defendants’ home in Birch Drive with her partner and paid them rent.

However, according to Judge Robert Pawson, Smith and White “became increasingly demanding over rent” and tried to “extort money” from the complainant. He also said the pair fabricated reasons why the vulnerable Ms Pitcher owed them money.

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Ms Pitcher left the property at the turn of 2022, after which the defendants were said to have warned her they would “come looking” for her.

On March 21 last year, Smith and White were driving in Bournemouth when by chance they came across the homeless Ms Pitcher walking in Suffolk Road with a friend.

Suffolk Road in Bournemouth.

The court heard how the defendants quickly got out of the car before Smith punched Ms Pitcher in the face, causing her to lose a tooth.

White kept the other woman away before helping his accomplice bundle Ms Pitcher into the car.

The court heard that they shouted at the victim to “get in the f****** car”.

It was said the pair told Ms Pitcher she could not leave their home until a debt of around £200 was paid and threatened her if she tried to escape or alert police.

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Defence barristers for Smith and White, David Jenkins and Robert Griffiths respectively, told the court how Ms Pitcher was otherwise not ill-treated while kept at the defendants’ home and received regular meals.

“It’s not Reservoir Dogs, I accept that,” said Judge Pawson.

Castlepoint shopping centre

On the Friday (March 25) White took Ms Pitcher with him to “score drugs” at Castlepoint, which the judge said presented the victim “with a genuine opportunity to escape”.

Ms Pitcher tried to flee but was grabbed by White in front of members of the public and told her “I don’t give a **** who’s about, I’ll punch you in the face”.

She eventually managed to escape and alerted a town ranger for assistance. White and Smith were later arrested.

Judge Pawson jailed the pair for five years each, and imposed a restraining order preventing them from contacting Ms Pitcher for ten years.