Dean Foord, 33, was found crouched inside a refrigerator as officers searched his property, in bodycam footage capturing the moment police caught up with a man now jailed for three years over a sustained campaign of violence and coercive control against a former partner.
A Rochester man who attempted to evade arrest by hiding inside a fridge has been jailed for three years after subjecting a victim to six months of escalating abuse. Dean Foord, 33, of Brooker Close, was arrested in December 2025 following an emergency report to Kent Police concerning the victim’s safety, prompting officers to search the property where they eventually discovered him crouched in the top half of the appliance. He was found guilty at Maidstone Crown Court on 30 June of actual bodily harm, criminal damage, threats to kill, common assault, controlling and coercive behaviour, and possession of a class A drug.
A Campaign That Grew More Dangerous Over Time
Investigators said Foord’s behaviour escalated significantly over the course of the relationship, moving from controlling and manipulative conduct into repeated physical violence and direct threats to kill. The court heard that Foord controlled the victim’s social media, forced her to cut ties with friends and family, and only permitted her to leave the house with his permission. In one particularly harrowing episode, he locked her in a room and refused to let her out unless she barked like a dog.
On another occasion, Foord filmed himself threatening the victim with a knife and telling her he would kill her. When she attempted to flee to another property, he followed her there and threw a brick through a window. He was also found to have thrown a bucket of dirty water over her during a separate incident. Maidstone Crown Court heard that Foord spent all of the victim’s money on gambling, drugs, alcohol and scratch cards throughout the relationship.
Caught Hiding in His Own Kitchen
When officers arrived to search the property in December 2025, they found Foord attempting to conceal himself inside a fridge in the kitchen. Bodycam footage shows officers discovering him crouched inside the appliance before pulling him out after some resistance and detaining him. A search at the time of his arrest also found him in possession of cocaine.
Sentence Includes Restraining Order
Alongside his three-year prison sentence, the court imposed a restraining order barring Foord from contacting the victim, providing her with long-term legal protection once he is released. A Kent Police spokesperson confirmed the sequence of events: “The 33-year-old, of Brooker Close, Rochester, was arrested in December 2025 and, during a search, officers found him in possession of cocaine. He was later charged, and following a trial found guilty of actual bodily harm, criminal damage, threats to kill, common assault, controlling and coercive behaviour, and possession of a class A drug. At Maidstone Crown Court on Tuesday 30 June, he was jailed for 3 years.”
‘There Are No Hiding Places’
Investigating officer PC George Fisher praised the victim’s courage in coming forward and credited her cooperation with securing the conviction. “Foord is a violent bully who used fear, violence and intimidation to control almost every aspect of the victim’s life,” he said. “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.”
Following the sentencing, the victim received support from specialist domestic abuse organisations working alongside Kent Police, who used the case to highlight that coercive and controlling behaviour is a criminal offence, urging anyone experiencing domestic abuse to seek help.
