"Rat catcher" ex-Portsmouth driving instructor goes on run after being ordered to jail for contempt of court

Robert Hood, 56, was found guilty of contempt of court after breaching an injunction not to contact or post about the DVSA who had launched civil proceedings against him following his campaign of “harassment” towards them, as previously reported. 

Hood, who goes by the social media pseudonym of Robbie the Rat Catcher, absconded after being ordered to jail at Bournemouth County Court at the end of May. But after reportedly refusing to enter the courtroom, Hood, of Kingsley Road, Southsea, fled the scene.

It led to a warrant being issued for the defendant’s arrest by the court with him at large for four days before police finally captured “rat catcher” Hood into custody to complete his fall from grace. It is understood the case was moved from Portsmouth to Bournemouth due to previous tensions at the Portsmouth courts. While a fugitive, locals were told to call 999 if they saw him when police tried to find him at his address - with one resident telling The News: “We definitely don’t want him coming back.”

Anti-establishment protesters ambushed the magistrates court in February and March and attempted to carry out citizen arrests on judges over claims of “corruption” on council tax fraud by the authorities.

According to sources speaking about the Bournemouth court hearing, Hood turned up to the court with handcuffs and around 30 of his followers before attempting to arrest the judge. “He refused to enter the court without his followers and demanded to film it. This was refused and the case continued without him. He was then sentenced to three months prison,” the person said.

In a post from “Robbie the Rat Catcher” to his followers on social media page Peace Officers UK while on the run, he said: “Thank you to all who attended today at Bournemouth County Court. Only numbers and knowledge kept me out of instant incarceration.”

He went on to say he was sentenced to three months jail before thanking people who helped him flee and adding: “Amazing team effort to all who made a physical attendance and all who supported me from afar.” 

A spokesperson for Portsmouth County Court said: “The order records that the court was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant Robert Hood was guilty of contempt of court for breaching the (injunction) order of 27 January 2023 and it was ordered the defendant be committed to prison for three months.”

A police spokesperson said: “This matter (of absconding) related to a court warrant and an arrest was made on Tuesday. This was a Portsmouth court matter that was heard in Bournemouth.”

At the January 2023 Portsmouth County Court hearing, which The News attended, Hood claimed the DVSA had defrauded the British public out of £50m a year. But he was handed at injunction and told to pay £22,550 costs for publishing “harassing” social media posts against people at the government department, who he claimed were trying to “silence” him. The defendant admitted to publishing posts with DVSA employees’ addresses while accusing them of abusing students and being “corrupt thieves and racists”.

Hood, who was struck off by the Approved Driving Instructors in 2022 after a campaign of harassment towards Red Driving School in Portsmouth, said he was left with no option but to make the posts after DVSA failed to listen to his complaints.

He claimed the DVSA had a quota system in place that meant only 50 per cent of drivers were allowed to pass resulting in 800,000 people being “deliberately failed a year”, before saying: “They pass people that should fail and fail people who should pass.”

He added: “They are looking to silence me from exposing the truth. They have been defrauding the public out of £50m annually. I can prove every word.”

However, district judge Samuel said there was “no evidence of corruption and conspiracy” by the DVSA. Referring to the alleged £50m fraud uncovered by Hood, the judge said: “I see no evidence to support that.”

He added: “(Hood) believes he is pursuing a great wrong to the British public. He says all avenues have been closed down to him and that he didn’t have any other option (but to publish the posts).

“I believe the conduct amounts to harassment. There is no evidence to support the assertions and I conclude the conduct is not reasonable.”

Hood also appeared at the county court in November 2022 following a £20,000 claim against Louise Berry, a self-employed driving instructor. The case was dismissed by a judge who said the court did not have jurisdiction. Hood was told to pay the defendant’s £1,200 legal fees.

DVSA are still pursuing its civil case against him.