Darren Cooper, the husband of a sex therapist, has been found guilty of blackmailing tech executive Peter Gillingwater and stalking him and his daughter, Aimee Gillingwater. The case stems from a High Court battle over a £1.2 million home, which Cooper's husband, Thain Kleinhentz, lost against his former partner Mark Harrison. After the court ruling, Cooper, 54, began a blog that included false accusations against Gillingwater, alleging drug dealing and sexual abuse, and demanded payments of £250,000, £100,000, and £80,000 to remove the posts.
The High Court case took place in 2020, where Kleinhentz sought a £250,000 share of the property sold by Harrison for £1.2 million. Following the court's decision, Cooper's actions included making derogatory statements about Gillingwater and his daughter, which reportedly led to Aimee losing work with Chanel. Cooper's behavior included sending threatening emails and making phone calls that targeted Aimee's modeling career.
During the trial, Gillingwater described receiving emails that referenced inappropriate content about his daughter, which he viewed as a threat. Prosecutor Jonathan Whitley stated that Cooper's actions were motivated by a desire for revenge following the court case. Cooper admitted to posting the material online and sending emails but claimed he was justified in doing so. He has been granted bail pending sentencing, which is scheduled for December 4, 2026.