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A former Playboy model staged her own kidnapping and sent a fake photo of a severed finger to a terrified friend demanding an £8,000 ransom.

Angelica Harte, 40, and accomplice Darren Fitzpatrick, 24, sent a message to the friend claiming the model would lose a finger "every hour" unless the ransom was paid.

The "vulnerable" friend had once been kidnapped and suffered traumatising flashbacks as she was put through the "cruel" ordeal, a court heard.

The pair also sent a video of a woman whimpering and pleading for help and an image of a 'victim' with a pillowcase over her head and her hands behind her back.

Harte and Fitzpatrick claimed that the kidnapping was faked as a "joke" and have been spared jail, the Birmingham Mail reports.

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The kidnapping threat was taken seriously and police later raided a house in Neville Road, Erdington, Birmingham, to discover Harte “alive and well and not in any difficulty".

The actress, who had a small role in a the 2010 crime film Killer Bitch starring Katie Price's ex-husband Alex Reid, was arrested alongside Fitzpatrick.

Birmingham Crown Court heard that Harte’s friend was herself a former kidnap victim.

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On March 4 she began receiving Facebook messages from Fitzpatrick.

Matthew Barnes, prosecuting, said: “He stated that he had her close friend Angelica Harte and would cause her harm if money was not paid.

“The message stated, ‘If you want to see Angel, leave £5,000 in a duffel bag at New Street Station. Every hour that you are late she loses a finger.”

He added: “The victim was extremely concerned. There was a photo sent seemingly by Fitzpatrick of a hand with four fingers extended with one finger curled back in an attempt to give the impression that one of the fingers was actually missing.”

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Mr Barnes said the victim asked to see Harte on video and was later shown a short clip of a female whimpering and asking for help.

There were more demands for money and threats and the female was also shown with a pillowcase over her head with her hands behind her back.

At no stage was any attempt made to say this was a joke and when the victim was warned: “If you want f****** blood I will show you f****** blood.”

The court heard the victim was told the ransom had gone up to £8,000 - and was asked whether she had any ‘last words’ for her friend.

(Image: BPM Media)

Mr Barnes said in the early hours of the following day police, who had used call data, raided an address in Neville Road and discovered unharmed Harte.

He said as a result of what happened the victim had experienced flashbacks to the kidnapping she had experienced herself and felt seriously damaged.

Both defenders had previously admitted sending a threatening electronic communication with intent to cause distress.

Judge Paul Farrer, QC, said they had both originally been charged with blackmail and if they had been convicted of that charge, they would have gone to prison for a long time.

(Image: BPM Media)

He said: “You fall to be sentenced on the basis that you perpetrated between you a sustained and cruel joke.

“There was significant victim impact here. It was in fact taken seriously.

"You targeted your victim who is vulnerable.”

Fitzpatrick was sentenced to eight months jail, suspended for two years, and ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work.

Harte was handed a seven-month sentence, suspended for two years.

Gurdeep Garcha, for Harte, said: “Her involvement was secondary to Fitzpatrick.

"This was a mean thing to do and she is ashamed of her conduct.”