A MAN who hatched a "hairbrained" plot to kidnap his estranged girlfriend in an attempt to win her back was jailed yesterday.

Mark Rayner came up with the scheme to snatch Susan Lowbridge after their relationship broke down and she moved into a refuge.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how Rayner gave £2,000 to financial advisor Paul Nicholson, who tried to persuade a garage mechanic to help kidnap Ms Lowbridge.

But the mechanic contacted police.

Detectives warned Ms Lowbridge not to attend a hospital appointment that Rayner knew about and began recording telephone conversations between the mechanic, Nicholson and Rayner.

Robert Woodcock, prosecuting, said: "It was clear from the calls that the intention was to kidnap. She was to be taken back to the house where she lived with Rayner and thrown into a wheelie-bin.

"The mechanic was told others would take her to the countryside, somewhere in Yorkshire."

Rayner, 33, of Zetland Street, Sunderland, and Nicholson, 35, of Teal Farm, Washington, both admitted conspiracy to kidnap.

The prosecution earlier dropped charges of conspiracy to murder.

Judge John Milford sentenced Rayner to 27 months behind bars and Nicholson to 21 months.

Judge Milford told Rayner: "You decided upon what has been described to me as a hairbrained scheme to kidnap Ms Lowbridge, snatch her from the street in Durham, bundle her into a vehicle and drive her from Durham to your home.

"There, considerably frightened, she would be confronted by you and in the circumstances the idea was you would persuade her to become reconciled with you."

The court heard Ms Lowbridge had a child with Rayner and another from a previous relationship. Mitigating, Robin Denny said the plot had been triggered by Rayner's concern for his children.

Ms Lowbridge was not in court for sentencing.