Husband faces jail for kidnapping his wife’s ex-lover in a ‘carjacking’ after discovering their affair
- Craig Dewar, 34, abducted John Hawkins after finding out about wife Zoe’s affair
- Social workers had met while working at Blaenau Gwent Council in South Wales
- Dewar was convicted of kidnap and actual bodily harm for hitting victim in head
A jealous husband is facing jail for kidnapping his wife’s lover after finding out she was cheating on him with a work colleague.
Craig Dewar, 34, abducted social worker John Hawkins after finding out he was having a fling with his wife Zoe.
Zoe Dewar, 32, worked with Mr Hawkins at Blaenau Gwent Council in South Wales. She told her mother-in-law about the affair, and she told her son.
A jury heard Dewar and an unknown accomplice waited outside the council offices for Mr Hawkins to leave work.
Prosecutor Andrew Kendall told how Mr Hawkins was taken on a terrifying journey after being abducted in his Ford van.
Jealous husband Craig Dewar is facing jail for kidnapping his wife Zoe’s (pictured together on their wedding day) ex-lover
Dewar, pictured outside Cardiff Crown Court with his wife, jumped into social worker John Hawkins car and pressed a pair of pliers into his neck. Mr Hawkins and Mrs Dewar met while working at Blaenau Gwent Council in South Wales
He said: ‘Mr Hawkins left work at around 5pm. He was driving along his usual route home when he was overtaken by a silver Hyundai Tucson.
‘The Tucson positioned itself in front of Mr Hawkins’ van and slammed on its brakes to stop him driving away.’
Cardiff Crown Court heard Dewar reached through the open car window to remove the keys from the ignition.
Mr Hawkins was ‘scared’ and had no idea the man who got into the passenger seat was his lover’s angry husband.
Mr Kendall said: ‘He handed Mr Hawkins the keys and told him: “Follow the car in front or I’ll cut your throat open.”
‘A pair of pliers were pushed hard into his neck.
‘Understandably, Mr Hawkins was scared and did what was asked of him, following the silver Tucson.’
His terrifying ordeal only came to an end when Mr Hawkins stopped on a busy road and sounded the horn for help.
As he tried to get out of the van Dewar allegedly hit him several times to the side of his head.
The court heard he suffered a fractured cheek bone which needed hospital treatment.
After reporting the incident to police the social worker was recovering at home the next day when his married lover arrived.
Dewar told Mr Hawkins: ‘Follow the car in front or I’ll cut your throat open.’ The terrifying ordeal only came to an end when Mr Hawkins stopped on a busy road and sounded the horn for help
The couple, of Six Bells, Abertillery, have patched up their troubled marriage. Dewar cried in the dock as he was found guilty of kidnap and actual bodily harm
Mr Kendall said: ‘She told him it was her husband who had got into his van and attacked him the day before.
‘She said: “You’ve got to drop the charges or it will be 100 times worse for you. I will ruin your career.”‘
Mrs Dewar told Cardiff Crown Court that she visited Mr Hawkins’ home but said: ‘I wanted to go there to check on his well-being and to see if he was OK.
‘I said: “I am really sorry about all this. We have both done wrong and it’s time we moved on.”‘
Mrs Dewar was cleared of perverting the course of justice.
Dewar admitted ‘confronting’ his love rival but denied kidnapping Mr Hawkins or using any violence against him.
He told the jury that Mr Hawkins had taunted him about his wife and said: ‘It’s a real man she wants, not you.’
The couple, of Six Bells, Abertillery, have patched up their troubled marriage.
Her husband cried in the dock as he was found guilty of kidnap and actual bodily harm.
He will be sentenced on August 19.