A serving soldier from Rutland has been jailed for five years for kidnapping his wife's best friend off the street.
Garry Smith, who had served in Iraq and Afghanistan, used a kidnapper's kit including a cloth soaked in chloroform to bundle the 30-year-old woman into the back of a car.
Luton Crown Court heard how the 32-year-old, a bombardier based with the 16th Regiment Royal Artillery at St Georges Barracks in North Luffenham, in Rutland, executed his plan after becoming obsessed with his victim.
Prosecutor Anne Evans said Smith struck after the woman, a childhood friend of his wife, asked him not to contact her any more.
She said the victim had travelled to Rutland to visit Smith's wife and her children at the barracks where they lived.
The court heard the woman split up with her boyfriend in March and Smith began messaging her on Facebook.
Miss Evans said: "He would send her pictures of women who looked like her and that made her uncomfortable.
"She messaged him that she would rather he not do this.
"Two pictures in particular made her feel very uncomfortable, one of a totally naked female resembling her crouching down and another female on the floor in front of a fireplace with little clothing on."
Miss Evans said that Smith had sent the woman flowers and chocolates and when he was in the Falklands, he sent her a toy penguin called Garry.
She said Smith carried out his plan after stealing a set of number plates from a vehicle similar to his own black Ford Galaxy to disguise his car.
He put down a sheet of tarpaulin in the car to prevent any forensic traces of her being in the vehicle.
Smith had cable ties to use as handcuffs, a leather belt with a golf ball to be used as a gag, a boiler suit, blacked out goggles and gaffer tape. A pickaxe, a knife and a length of rope were also in the car.
The court heard that Smith pounced after waiting for his victim and following her as she left her flat at 6am on July 5.
As she opened her car door to get he put the cloth soaked in chloroform over her face.
Smith, who was wearing latex gloves, dragged her into his car which had all of its rear seats laid flat.
Miss Evans said Smith tied the woman's hands and tried to put the golf ball attached to the belt into her mouth.
The court heard that a neighbour saw what was happening from his flat, ran out and began banging on the window of the Galaxy.
Smith drove off and the police were alerted. He was traced to Louth and arrested.
David Healy, defending, said Smith had been regarded as one of the best junior non commissioned officers in his regiment and a model soldier.
He said: "He fell madly in love with her in simple terms."
Smith was made the subject of a life-long restraining order not to contact his victim.
