Man sentenced to three years for domestic abuse after hiding in refrigerator during police raid
Kent Police have released body camera footage showing the moment officers discovered a 33-year-old man hiding inside a refrigerator while attempting to evade arrest. Dean Foord, from Rochester, was found crouched in the small cold storage space during a police operation at his home.
Foord was arrested on suspicion of prolonged mental and physical violence against his girlfriend, with the abuse reportedly lasting six months before she reported it to authorities. MTV Uutiset reports that the victim described being subjected to severe coercive control, including restrictions on her movements, isolation from friends and family, and financial manipulation. Among the allegations, Foord is said to have locked the victim in a room and only allowed her to leave if she agreed to bark like a dog (MTV Uutiset).
According to Yle, the victim also reported that Foord grabbed her by the neck, slammed her head against the floor, and threatened her with a knife. Police Constable George Fisher, quoted in a Kent Police press release, described Foord as a "violent bully who used fear, violence, and intimidation to control nearly every aspect of the victim’s life" (Yle).
During the arrest in December 2025, police found cocaine in Foord’s possession. He was subsequently charged and convicted at Maidstone Crown Court on June 30. The court found him guilty of multiple offenses, including assault, threats to kill, criminal damage, coercive and controlling behavior, and possession of a Class A drug. Foord was sentenced to three years in prison (MTV Uutiset).
Kent Police shared the body camera footage as part of their statement, with Constable Fisher emphasizing: "Foord tried to hide from police in a refrigerator, but there are no hiding places. This demonstrates that we track down offenders and bring them to justice" (Yle, MTV Uutiset). The case has been widely reported by British media outlets, including The Telegraph, Mirror, and ITV (Yle).