I accept the evidence that Mr Belfield effectively followed these women by online harassment throughout their careers, said the judge. The court heard the original application was amended to add two more people who did not form part of the criminal trial. Ex-BBC Radio Host Alex Belfield Convicted Of Stalking 4 - Deadline Apparently jealous that Keiths BBC career carried on while his own was stymied, Belfield set about trying to ruin Keiths life using his usual weapons of YouTube, Twitter and emails. Read about our approach to external linking. Another BBC radio presenter, a transgender woman called Stephanie Hirst, became Belfields next target after refusing him an interview after her transition. "Although you at no stage committed any physical acts, Mr Vine considered himself and his family to be at risk from you and his followers," the judge told Belfield. He soon made it to the top of Belfields hitlist, featuring regularly as a hate figure in his videos and social media posts. In relation to Jeremy Vine and theatre blogger Philip Dehany, Belfield was found guilty of two lesser offences of "simple" stalking, which does not require serious alarm or distress to be proved. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Belfield has worked for over 80 radio stations in the UK. dragonfly covid testing nyc. The 42-year-old was also found guilty of stalking BBC Radio Northampton presenter Bernie Keith and videographer Ben Hewis. He said a pre-sentence report showed that while Belfield fully acknowledges the distress to victims, it also highlights you still appear to focus on the impact on you and feel in certain respects youve been unfairly treated. Ben Hewis is perverting the course of justice. VideoRussian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims, The children left behind in Cuba's mass exodus, Xi Jinping's power grab - and why it matters, Snow, Fire and Lights: Photos of the Week. There are lessons to learn clearly and the toxic nature of online hate will only get worse for staff. Hewis encouraged an entire industry to block me.over lies he endorsed! Is Alex Belfield a Victim of Lawfare? - The Expose In 2006, he presented the breakfast show on Capital Gold in Birmingham for six weeks, before moving to London to take over the station's networked national late show called The Late Night Revolution. I dont think that stuff even bothered him.. 'You can't work out how it's happened. Fixed: Release in which this issue/RFE has been fixed.The release containing this fix may be available for download as an Early Access Release or a General Availability Release. The full wording of the charges stated that he "pursued a course of conduct that amounted to harassment" of the complainants, which "amounted to stalking" and caused them "serious alarm or distress". Keith tried in vain to get YouTube to remove all of the libellous videos, even turning up at the social networks HQ to beg it in person. Prosecutors allege that Belfield, who hosts a radio channel on YouTube, waged a relentless nine-year campaign of stalking against eight victims, including ex-colleagues, after BBC Radio Leeds did not renew his contract in 2011. "Alex Belfield's conduct, in the form of messages, broadcasts, insults and threats, left his victims fearful and anxious. Alex Belfield Who is Alex Belfield and why has he been jailed? | The Sun He and Belfield had known each other through work, the trial heard, but Belfield had never met the other three men he was convicted of stalking. That all stopped in February this year when YouTube suspended monetisation on Belfields Voice of Reason for violating its creator policy, after. Green was having none of it: I went up to him and I said: You are a grade-A wanker. She stands by that description, but came to regret making an enemy of someone who turned out to be a herculean grudge-holder. Why Alex Murdaugh was spared the death penalty, Why Trudeau is facing calls for a public inquiry, The shocking legacy of the Dutch 'Hunger Winter'. READ MORE:Jury's verdicts delivered in stalking trial of ex-BBC presenter Alex Belfield. A few months in, alarm bells started to ring, remembers Liz Green, who presented the lunchtime show that followed Belfields each day. "He had to ask his family to watch out for you and to take care in and around their home address.". He is being sued for libel by Vine, as well as by the Nottinghamshire police detective in charge of the case against him, and when ordered to pay Vines initial costs of 26,000 after failing to file a defence on time, paid up, in October 2021, within a few days. A cruel former BBC local radio presenter who stalked broadcasters including TV's Jeremy Vine and BBC Northampton's Bernie Keith has been jailed for more than five years. In relation to the women, the judge said: "Each of them suffered a campaign of harassment by email and social media communications. Though the BBC knew Belfield was spreading lies about them in public, at no point did anyone from the BBC refute the allegations, she says. "He was seconds away from taking his own life as a result of your conduct," the judge, Mr Justice Saini, told Belfield. Breen and Green both think the BBC failed all four women who gave evidence against Belfield. In October 2020, Belfield spread a false rumour that he was having an affair with a fellow BBC radio presenter, using it as part of his ongoing campaign against the national broadcaster. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Radio presenter Alex Belfield denies 12 charges of stalking For PR Pros Overview; Media Database . 2023 BBC. A former BBC radio presenter has been found guilty of stalking four people including broadcaster Jeremy Vine. Despite later coming out as a member of the LGBT community when defending himself against allegations of homophobia in his trial, Belfield attempted to project an image of rampant heterosexuality for much of his life, with frequent references to breasticles and the current or future Mrs Belfield. No more waking up in the middle of the night filled with dread about what he might have said about them to his then 373,000 YouTube subscribers or in bitter emails to their bosses or clients. This is the Jimmy Savile of trolling., Likening watching Belfields videos to swimming in sewage, Mr Vine said of the defendants conduct: It felt like I had a fish hook in my face and my flesh was being torn, and the only way to avoid further pain was to stay completely still., Jurors convicted Belfield of four charges committed between 2012 and 2021. Mr Justice Saini had sentenced Belfield to two-and-a-half years for stalking one of the complainants, Bernie Keith. Iain Lee sends a powerful message to Alex Belfield fans following She suffered years of what the judge described as transphobic and hateful comments motivated in part at least by feelings of jealousy as to her success when his own career within the BBC had foundered. I had gone to the police to make it stop and it was just getting worse. It didnt work. Within hours, a video appeared on Belfields secret video channel, accessible to anyone willing to pay him a pound a week. She was looking for a new presenter to liven up the mid-morning show and thought Belfield, who was working for BBC Hereford and Worcester, was the man for the job. Presenter Iain Lee has since come out to say Belfield targeted him for many years, but that he was too frightened to go to court to give evidence. I am caught in a constant cycle of exhaustion and fatigue. A former BBC radio presenter found guilty of stalking four people including broadcaster Jeremy Vine has been jailed for five and a half years. He hated being told how to improve by Jeremy, and thats where I think it all started.. Bernie Keith, who presents mid-morning shows and a weekly rock'n'roll programme on BBC Radio Northampton, said former BBC Radio Leeds DJ Alex Belfield had subjected him to "naked" hatred . At conservative gathering, Trump is still the favourite. Ex-BBC presenter guilty of stalking broadcasters including Jeremy Vine and Radio Northampton's Bernie Keith. Do not sell or share my personal information. Labour MP Barry Sheerman is calling for an independent inquiry into how the BBC treated female staff who were harassed online by Belfield. Online stalkers like you have the ability to recruit an army of followers whose conduct massively expands the effect of your stalking. Belfields final BBC target was Vine, who made the mistake of responding after learning that Belfield had called him and fellow broadcaster Victoria Derbyshire cunts online. And what did he mean by: We will be back? All Rights Reserved. Call Today! 01604 491005. Prosecutors allege that Belfield, 42, caused serious alarm or distress to Vine, former BBC Radio Leeds mid-morning show host Stephanie Hirst, and BBC Radio Northampton's Bernie Keith. Alex Belfield arriving at Nottingham Crown Court on the day of his sentencing. One of the alleged victims - TV and radio presenter Jeremy Vine - told the trial last week that 42-year-old Belfield is 'the Jimmy Savile of trolling'. We have no choice but to take action against The Stagey Blog too. BBC Radio Northampton presenter Bernie Keith was left feeling suicidal by a 'tsunami of hate', the trial heard. BBC Radio Northampton presenter Bernie Keith was left feeling suicidal by a "tsunami of hate", the trial heard. For each of these offences he was sentenced to 13 weeks, also to run consecutively. A BBC radio host has revealed that alleged stalking by an ex-staff member left him contemplating suicide. Neither had ever met him. 'This was the darkest point of my life because there was no end to it. Mr Justice Saini added: "You made communications which had serious impacts on the private lives of the complaints and had distressing effects on their physical and mental health.''. Four women, past and previous BBC DJs and executives, had also accused Belfield of stalking them via email and social media, but the jury found him not guilty on those charges. Published: 11:08 EST, 21 July 2022 | Updated: 11:22 EST, 21 July 2022. I will refer to him by that name. The former BBC radio presenter was jailed for five-and-a-half years after being convicted in September. Olivia Attwood praises best pal Georgia Harrison as 'brave and dignified' after Stephen Bear jailed for sharing sex tape, Peter Andre reveals strict rule for daughter Princess's career after she teams up with fashion brand, Where cast of Flipper are now - from hilarious run-in with the Queen to Breaking Bad fame & star with 14 kids by 4 mums, Stephen Bears fiance Jessica Smith vows to stick with him 'through thick and thin' after shamed reality star is jailed, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). When sentencing Belfield, Mr Justice Saini told him: 'Your offences are so serious, only a custodial sentence can be justified.'. Count 8: Jeremy Vine, not guilty to stalking to cause alarm and distress but guilty to simply stalking - Belfield is sentenced to 13 weeks consecutively for stalking Mr Vine. The judge made restraining orders on the four victims: Bernard Spedding (also known as Bernie Keith), Ben Hewis, Philip Dehany and Jeremy Vine. "You were not a whistleblower in any sense but developed a fixation with pursuing Mr Vine with a campaign of abuse," the judge said. He has been contacted 5 times to remove his outrageous claims. Ben Hewis refuses to communicate with Nottingham Police. Breen and Green both think the BBC failed all four women who gave evidence against Belfield. Stalker Alex Belfield has bid for leave to appeal sentence refused Ex-DJ who left BBC Northampton's Bernie Keith 'seconds away' from It sent this statement: Monetisation on the Voice of Reason channel remains suspended for violating our creator responsibility policy. Both had come to the defence of others under attack by Belfield. Two days have been set aside to hear the application at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on March 7. Remorseless Belfield videos himself as he arrives at court in July. Ex BBC DJ Alex Belfield jailed for five years for stalking Jeremy Vine . He started his own online show, Celebrity Radio, bagging interviews with famous people in return for advertising plugs, and tried to sell himself as a theatre and restaurant reviewer. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Bernard Spedding - guilty (majority verdict), Philip Dehany - not guilty to the charge on the indictment but guilty of the alternative charge of "simple" stalking (majority verdict), Jeremy Vine - not guilty to the charge on the indictment but guilty of the alternative charge of "simple" stalking (unanimous verdict). Belfield became known across theatres as someone who would throw a tantrum if he didnt get the press tickets he wanted. But when Aubrey caught Covid, Vine opted to be questioned by Belfield rather than delay a long-booked holiday, and found himself being asked about the true meaning of the word cunt. The sentences on each charge Belfield was convicted on: Count 5: BBC Radio Northampton's Bernie Keith, guilty of stalking to cause alarm and distress - Belfield has been given two-and-half years in prison on count 5; Count 6: Videographer Ben Hewis, guilty of stalking to cause alarm and distress - the sentence is consecutive to the previous term for the stalking of Mr Keith. @decotheatre. Fans, largely older women, were often in the public gallery to show support. The judge described Mr Dehanys mother as robust for the way she dealt calmly with Belfield, telling her: Everybody needs a mother like you. Mr Justice Saini said: It was an outrageous and cruel act to call her and make a recording, which Belfield later used as content on his channel. You made communications which had serious impacts on the private lives of the complainants, with distressing effects on their mental and physical health. Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. The full wording of the charges stated he "pursued a course of conduct that amounted to harassment" of the complainants, which "amounted to stalking" and caused them "serious alarm or distress". The judge said Belfield had made "wholly false" allegations about Mr Vine stealing 1,000 of BBC licence payers' money, in a video which was viewed by more than 400,000 people. Regardless, the judge clearly considered him a threat. American mom living in Paris mesmerizes internet after revealing the VERY surprising after-school snack kids eat in France. Mr Justice Saini, sentencing, told Belfield, who sat taking notes in the dock: Your offences are so serious only a custodial sentence can be justified.. But on August 5, 2022 he was found guilty of "simple stalking" regarding Vine and blogger Philip Dehany. Each of them suffered serious mental health problems arising from Mr Belfields conduct, he said, imposing indefinite restraining orders preventing Belfield from contacting the women. For just over three minutes, the 42-year-old delivered a monologue in which he said he was in prison for simply defending himself. Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? Launching it on 1 March this year, Belfield said he wanted to broadcast away from the toxic spectrumed trolls, lefties, fart heads & Mogadon moronic medicated mentalists & journalists. He realised what he could do and did it with impunity. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk. Full statement on legal action & police inquiry BBC Bernie Keith / Bernard Spedding & Ben Hewis. Keith Elliot Greenberg Interview The Day John Lennon Died, Keith Chegwin Exclusive 2015 Interview Celebrity Big Brother. endstream endobj 563 0 obj <>/Metadata 36 0 R/Pages 560 0 R/StructTreeRoot 43 0 R/Type/Catalog/ViewerPreferences 579 0 R>> endobj 564 0 obj <>/MediaBox[0 0 595.32 841.92]/Parent 560 0 R/Resources<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI]>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/Tabs/S/Type/Page>> endobj 565 0 obj <>stream He did so after the prosecution told him the maximum sentence for this offence was five years, but the maximum sentence is actually 10 years. Here's Celebrity Radio's BBC Bernie Keith & Ben Hewis STATEMENTFull statement on legal action & police inquiry - BBC Bernie Keith / Bernard Spedding & Ben Hewis . The optics arent good, says Breen. Alex Belfield was born in . Living on the edge (literally! ', Belfield had made a bogus claim that he had been sacked, Mr Keith said, adding: 'It was all too much. While never submitting himself to cross-examination, he was allowed to deliver a pompous closing speech deriding the case as a BBC and police witch-hunt and describing himself as the No 1 anti-BBC journalist. As well as jailing Belfield, Mr Justice Saini issued indefinite restraining orders banning the DJ from contacting his victims. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Prosecutors allege Mr Belfield, 42, caused serious alarm or distress to Vine, as well as Stephanie Hirst, a former BBC Radio Leeds mid-morning show host, and Bernie Keith, of BBC Radio Northampton. The judge referred to the victims graphic and distressing evidence in court about the impact of Belfields campaign of harassment, and how he had been just seconds away from dying by suicide. Bernard Spedding ignored every single correspondence. endstream endobj startxref Iain Lee says he was "too scared" to take former BBC radio presenter Alex Belfield to court, claiming that the convicted stalker made his life "miserable".. Belfield, 42, was sentenced to more than five years in prison on Friday after being found guilty of stalking four people, including the TV presenter Jeremy Vine, 57.. xRn0+|L)%^RKXoZi;;0AQnKF. What will the next pandemic be? BBC Radio Northampton DJ Bernie Keith told the court he was left feeling suicidal by a tsunami of hate. Why Alex Murdaugh was spared the death penalty, Why Trudeau is facing calls for a public inquiry, The shocking legacy of the Dutch 'Hunger Winter'. I AM A VICTIM OF A CRIME. Police inquiry opened Feb 2020 Nottinghamshire Police. Sometimes these emails included what the judge said were highly offensive and personal comments about their physical appearance, including sexualised comments as well as wholly false allegations that the women had bullied him. Judges are able to vary sentences under section 385 of the Sentencing Act 2020, but the judge decided not to. Jeremy Vine's alleged stalker subjected BBC radio host Bernie Keith to Giving evidence in court, Vine said: I have in the past had a physical stalker who followed me. Former BBC DJ jailed for stalking Jeremy Vine and others, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? If you are watching this, I have been sent to jail, intoned Belfield in his Steve Wright meets Alan Partridge boom, standing in front of a skewwhiff union jack in the living room of his Nottingham home, wearing one of his trademark jazzy shirts. During his trial, the court heard from his stalking victims - including BBC Radio Northampton presenter Bernie Keith. The judge told Belfield that while not traditional stalking, his methods were just as effective a way of intimidating victims and in many ways much harder to deal with. Ben Hewis intended to destroy my life, reputation and career. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Its like an avalanche of hatred that you get hit by., Vine didnt think he had ever even met Belfield, but another former BBC radio presenter, James Hazell, remembers Vine delivering a masterclass to local BBC presenters in 2010. The prosecution said the YouTuber's stalking was more akin to 'internet trolling' than physical stalking, sending emails, tweets or making videos and subjecting victims to harassment and abuse - some of them over the course of many years. Friday Night is our 2nd Handbag Heaven Club Night. 6 months later the BBC refuse to reveal which BBC person wrote the email. Ex-BBC presenter Alex Belfield's "campaign of harassment" had left Northampton's Bernie Keith "just seconds away" from suicide. Belfield, 42, subjected four people in a "relentless" campaign of stalking - including broadcaster Jeremy Vine. Never miss a crime story with our free email updates. His subscriber count has dropped, but still stands at 354,000. It is a powerful weapon for fighting political or commercial enemies . I find you intended to maximise Mr Keiths distress.. It was a risk. Alex Belfield: YouTuber plans appeal against stalking jail sentence I think the jury thought: Oh, it cant have been that bad. She says Belfield has destroyed her mental health, and that she was so frightened that he or his followers would turn up at her house, she spent 20,000 on security measures. Mr Vine also gave evidence against Belfield during the trial, as he said: "This . That prompted Belfield to set up his secret Voice of Reason channel, which streamed behind a paywall on his website. Ex-BBC DJ Alex Belfield found guilty of stalking Jeremy Vine and three Recalling how he was offered counselling in 2020, the presenter told the court: 'I had three sessions before lockdown came into force. One of the BBC targets was Bernie Keith, a veteran presenter at BBC Radio Northampton who was once Belfield's friend. We were the learning curve for Belfield. A wacky array of clothing Belfield arrives at court in August. Bernie Keith confirms he's mentally ill and in therapy March 2020. The relief was temporary. Stephanie Hirst presented a show at the station after he left, in the same time slot. Unless there are broadcast prohibitions attached to his release, there is nothing to stop Belfield firing up Voice of Reason again when he gets out of jail. At first, he grew his audience with silly sketches and phone-ins, railing against government Covid policy, particularly the ban on care-home visits. The Belfield Green knew at Radio Leeds in 2010 was difficult but he wasnt a table-thumping, immigrant-hating rightwing polemicist, she says. The verdicts in relation to each complainant, in the order they appeared on the indictment, were: In mitigation, barrister David Aubrey KC said Belfield had not intended to cause his victims distress, but could now see that he had. Video, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims, US-made cheese can be called 'gruyere' - court, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus, Alex Murdaugh's legal troubles are far from over, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61, Walkie Talkie architect Rafael Violy dies aged 78, Sonic boom heard as RAF Typhoon jets escort plane, Nelson's 97th-minute stunner gives Arsenal victory. Mr Justice Saini said Belfield developed a fixation in pursuing Mr Vine with a campaign of abuse, with the broadcaster having to warn his wife and children to watch out for the defendant, especially after his home address was published by his followers. Finally, respite from what for some had been a decade of near-constant abuse. Something went wrong, please try again later. . Apparently jealous that Keith's BBC career carried on while his own was . The police are advised to consider applying for an order where it appears to them that: Belfield was jailed last September after he was found guilty of waging a relentless stalking campaign against BBC Radio Northampton's Bernie Keith, and subjecting TV presenter Jeremy Vine to an "avalanche of hatred" - but has since lodged an appeal. Who is Alex Belfield and why has he been jailed? For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Alex Belfield has been jailed for five and a half years. 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The post was shared shortly before 3pm on Friday, March 3, and has already had more than 200 responses. Belfield started wearing Trump polo shirts and began campaigning against small boat crossings in the Channel, using a dinghy as a prop for his live shows. But some of the complainants feel they never really got justice. His aim was, in his own words, to haunt his victims, and he deployed his army of followers to pile on with abusive messages to those targeted, said Mr Justice Saini. Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims. Some feel he was given too much power in his own trial. Close Belfield-watchers believe his lurch to the right was a business decision rather than an ideological one. At NorthantsLive we're more than just news. 15:33, 16 SEP 2022. He hated the thing he loved, or hated other people having success within it.. hWmo8+}(fI0He&[%@bwYsun!-Q$m>|(c #*fD((B+AH"9hn@*bJM (XDpn+X [EhA8b0BCJ ]JAD*# vb7kG;?+z]VlMow&k]dY\?2z?|Hzm|umLpM'lU),>9S*sD0xXl&[QdyLUvf% 5nLMY/]B~KJJeLPNAbK Clv/?`x8CG]* WAbZa\kC89ZCR7F-EdOzdoEey1*|z`L8}`! i_}Y/z*}Z4V0j_Zn(XP @C!|D@F;= 4`EwsivT! In Mr Keiths case, the abuse was sustained over nine years, with the judge saying he had no escape from Belfield, who made up and repeated a wholly false and scandalous allegation about his former friend. It was lockdown that offered Belfield an opportunity to make some proper money. He also agreed with Mr Vines characterisation that the ex-DJ had weaponised the internet against those he targeted.
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