Cat lover jailed for five years for trying to run down dog walkers

A cat lover who repeatedly tried to run down two dog walkers has been jailed for five years. Kerry Barlow from Llangwnadl, Pwllheli, believed her cat had been attacked by a dog owned by one of her victims. Mold Crown Court heard she "completely lost it" and drove her Ford Fiesta at Denise Roberts, 52, and daughter Donna, 29, four times in a country lane.

During sentencing, Barlow, 48, was told if one of her victims had been killed she would be facing life in prison. Barlow, who turned her Pen-yr-Orsedd home in to an animal sanctuary, complained to North Wales Police but took out a complaint against the force when no action was taken. When Mrs Roberts and her daughter walked past her home with their dogs, Barlow believed her cat had again been chased, so she followed them in her car up the road before driving at the pair, the court heard.



At one point, when Mrs Roberts lay dazed and injured in the road, her daughter pulled her out of the way as Barlow's car sped towards them. In another attack, Mrs Roberts tried to escape by climbing over a gate and in to a farmer's field but she was hurled in to the field when Barlow rammed her car in to the gate. The court was told Barlow suffered a number of mental health problems. The victims were so traumatised they moved away from the area.

Barlow admitted dangerous driving and was found guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent. Judge Philip Hughes said the incident with her cat "triggered off in you an uncontrollable rage. You decided to follow them and teach them a lesson," he added. "You were fed up with them; you were fed up with the police who you thought were not taking you seriously, and simply decided to take the law into your own hands."