A UK actress has been arrested after she faked her own kidnapping, in the style of Gone Girl, in order to win back her ex-boyfriend.
Jessica Lind, 22, from Romsey, Hants, from found by police in the back of her own car in a country lay-by after a major missing persons search.
The actress was found “dazed and confused” by police, claiming that she had been hit over the head.
The police were alerted to her “missing” status after her ex-boyfriend, Jonathan Gray, received a chilling text message from an unknown number reading, “Let the games begin – find Jess.”
Lind later admitted to police that she sent the text message herself because she wanted Gray to worry about her and “look after her”.
During the investigation, where Lind was questioned about her case, how she had been hit over the head but sustained no injury, why no evidence was found in her car, a suspect was identified and arrested.
The man arrested, John Hodgson, a mentally disabled man who often visited the same coffee shop as she did, was held for over 15 hours on suspicion of stalking and kidnap.
However, Jessica’s elaborate plan was foiled in the end when her web of lies began to untangle.
After 253 hours of investigation by police – and $30,000 in taxpayer dollars – police finally cottoned on and questioned Lind if she had made up the kidnapping herself, to which she admitted.
Speaking to police, the 22-year-old admitted she orchestrated the plot herself because she “wanted [Jonathan] back in her life”.
“I just want Johnny back in my life and thought he would be able there to look after me because he thought someone was going to hurt me,” said Jessica.
“It got worse and worse and I didn’t know how to end it.”
Jessica was sentenced to four months in prison, and was ordered to do 120 hours of community work, which Judge Nicholas Rowland was an easy sentence.
“You became extremely depressed and suicidal which led you to behave in a way that was out of character which had consequences not just for you and your boyfriend but the wider public,” said Judge Rowland.
“He [Mr Hodgson] was held for 15 hours and his freedom taken away as a result of what you did while 250 hours of police time was wasted when they had better things to do.”
“People who do that expect to go to prison. It’s a close shave for you.”
