Two self-styled vampires who bombarded a vicar with abusive phone calls, howled in the churchyard and posted obscene pictures around his church were sentenced to prison on Friday.
Benjamin Lewis, 25, was sentenced to 12 months in jail and Scott Bower, 26, to six months for the religiously motivated harassment of the Rev. Christopher Rowberry and his family.
Lewis's girlfriend, Natalie Gibson, 19, received a three-month suspended jail term for taking part in some of the abuse. All three had denied the charges but were convicted last month.
The abuse occurred over a three-month period last year in Totten, southern England. According to Lewis's journals, which were introduced during the trial, he had an unshakable belief he was a vampire and enlisted Bower as his accomplice.
"I answer to no mortal and I spit on Christian beliefs," he wrote.
Judge John Boggis said Lewis made obscene telephone calls to the vicar's family which included "howling noises," screeching sounds and mechanical laughing. He also pinned "truly disgusting" pictures on bulletin boards around Totten's church of St. Mary the Virgin.
"This is a case of repeated victimization of a man who showed you tolerance and understanding," Boggis told the three.
Rowberry has said that when the abuse started, he attempted a dialogue by posting letters addressed "Dear vampires."