Scunthorpe man jailed after tracking down ex and kidnapping her in York
He assaulted her and forced her to get into his car
Last updated 6th Aug 2026
A Scunthorpe man has been jailed for six years after tracking his ex-partner down to a hotel in York, assaulting her and forcing her into his car.
Leon Harvey, 43, of Burke Street, was found guilty of kidnap and assault following a four-day trial at York Crown Court in April.
He's now been jailed for six years and given a 20-year restraining order, preventing him from contacting the victim.
The court heard that on Saturday 13 September 2025, the woman had been at a hotel in York for less than five minutes when Harvey approached her and forced her outside.
He then punched and kicked her, causing her to fall over. She was left with injuries to her face, lip and knee.
Harvey took her phone and keys and made her get into his car, after telling her he had a tracker on her vehicle.
He was arrested shortly afterwards when officers caught up to him.
Officers later found tracking apps on his phone, including a 'find my phone' app, which had been used to follow the victim to the hotel.
He'd also been subscribing to tracking companies.
During interviews, Harvey denied kidnapping or assaulting the woman and claimed they were still in a relationship, despite the fact that it ended months before.
Investigating officer PC Simone Frost said: "In his interviews, Harvey showed no remorse and it was clear he believed he had every right to act the way he did.
"He showed typical abusive behaviour which was possessive and entitled."
She added: "The victim has shown great courage throughout. Thankfully this sentence puts an end to Harvey’s coercive and controlling behaviour and, I hope, goes some way in helping the victim move forward with her life."
Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.