'Deeply dishonest' prisoner pleads guilty to blackmailing female prison officer

Wednesbury criminal Adam Bodycote, 36, appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to blackmail.

The charge levelled at Bodycote, was on "February 2, 2024, at Sandwell, with a view to gain for yourself or another or with intent to cause loss to another, made an unwarranted demand of money" from the female officer with menaces.

The officer is a G4S Prison Custody Officer and has worked at  Oakwood Prison just outside Wolverhampton.

Bodycote appeared at the hearing via video link from HMP Birmingham where he is currently residing after being recalled back to prison after breaking a condition his release on parole. 

He will be sentenced in June after Judge Neil Chawla KC requested a victim impact statement from the victim. 

Defending, Chloe Ashley said: "My client is the subject of a recall and therefore wants to be sentenced as soon as possible but I understand the difficulties of this going ahead today."

Judge Chawla said: "Your sentencing will take place on June 5 and you will be allowed to appear by CVP video link from HMP Birmingham."

Former soldier Bodycote, originally from Beech Road, Wednesbury,  was serving a nine year service for stealing ten vehicles worth £100,000 during a three month crime spree which ended with his arrest in 2017.

Described as being "obsessed" with cars Bodycote modus operandi was targeting people selling vehicles online. Asking for test drive, as soon as he got the keys he would rush towards to the driving seat and speed off.

During two getaways despite people hanging from the vehicles and almost knocked down the owner of a third vehicle. 

On February 22 Bodycote swerved from side to side at up to 35 mph while trying to shake off Mr Amjad Ali, the owner of a £6,000 BMW, whose legs were dragged along the ground for a short distance until he was thrown onto a grass bank near his Oldbury home. Fortunately, he escaped without being badly hurt.

In the same month a police constable jumped from a stolen Ford Focus to 'avoid serious injury' as Bodycote reversed at speed with the officer clinging to a door frame of the car in Church Lane, West Bromwich.

Bodycote stole seven cars and seized three in robberies at various addresses in Smethwick, Oldbury and Cradley Heath between December 5, 2016 and February 13, 2017. Their total value was £96,755.

Five have been recovered but vehicles worth almost £49,000 were still missing when Bodycote was jailed. One unfortunate couple were left £15,000 out of pocket after transferring their insurance to a their new car days before Bodycote stole the BMW 5 series they were selling, continued Mr Swinnerton. Another victim had put their up for sale to fund further education.

The crime spree started while the defendant was on bail after he tried to 'buy' three more cars while masquerading as his younger brother.

He got away with an £11,000 Astra on January 18 2016 which was then sold to another dealership but later retrieved by police.

A carbon copy ruse failed in Smethwick the following month and an attempt to buy an £8,000 BMW with a stolen cheque also backfired on March 29, 2016. He was arrested days later and released on bail pending further inquiries.

Miss Sally Cairns, defending the father of three, said Bodycote was obsessed with cars since childhood but his life had gone downhill after he started taking drugs, a move which led to debt and a split with his partner.

Bodycote pleaded guilty to fraud, theft, robbery, handling stolen property and driving while disqualified. 

Sending him down, Judge Nicholas Webb who told him: "You are a deeply dishonest man."

Bodycote's offences during his three month crime spree

• December 5, 2016, Heather Road, Smethwick − stole Vauxhall Astra

• December 13, 2016, Mace Street, Cradley Heath - stole Audi A3

• December 28, 2016, Priestley Road, Walsall - stole Black BMW 3 series

• December 31, 2016, Cakemore Road, Blackheath − stole BMW 5 series

• January 2, 2017, D’urberville Road, Walsall − stole Black Vauxhall Astra

• January, 10, 2017 Drayton Street, Walsall − stole Mercedes C220

• January 18, 2017, Prospect Row, Dudley - stole Silver BMW 5 series

• January 22, 2017, Moat Road, Oldbury - stole Grey BMW 1 series

• January 26, 2017, Lyttleton Street, West Bromwich - stole Silver Audi Q7

• February 2, 2017, Milton Street, Walsall − stole Black Audi TT Quattro

• February 3, 2017, Stonehurst Road, Walsall − stole Black Volvo C30 Sport

• February 8, 2017, Mission Close, Blackheath - stole Black Ford Focus ST