All Rights Reserved. BBC Radio Northampton presenter Bernie Keith was left feeling suicidal by a "tsunami of hate", the trial heard. The application is being followed-up in its original format, including victims from his trial, and with two more people added - who were not involved in his trial. 1. Former BBC local radio DJ Alex Belfield has been found guilty of four . Even after YouTube stopped him making money from his channel, Belfield was still reasonably flush. In court, he claimed to have nine employees, but who they are remains a mystery. All is explained in the video. Most of it had been withdrawn by Belfield by the time GoFundMe got around to banning him for inappropriate off-platform behaviour, with the exception of 5,260, which was refunded to donors. Read about our approach to external linking. "From his very first email and in the majority of communications thereafter, he used my wife and children as his main weapon to terrify, intimidate and blackmail me," he wrote. 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. At conservative gathering, Trump is still the favourite. The judge told Belfield he will serve up to half of his sentence in prison and the remainder on licence. %%EOF 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. Both question why the corporation only really took the abuse seriously once a well-known man Vine was involved. 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 TV presenter labelled him the Jimmy Savile of trolling during the trial, which heard he repeatedly posted or sent abusive messages, videos and emails. 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. The stalking of Mr Keith caused him serious alarm or distress. 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. Find Alex Belfield's email address, contact information, LinkedIn, Twitter, other social media and more. It could be interpreted as a reluctance to expose systemic failings and a complete failure in duty of care. One of the alleged victims - TV and radio presenter Jeremy Vine (pictured arriving at Nottingham Crown Court) - told the trial last week that 42-year-old Belfield is 'the Jimmy Savile of trolling'. Recalling how he was offered counselling in 2020, the presenter told the court: 'I had three sessions before lockdown came into force. BBC Radio Northampton presenter Bernie Keith was left suicidal by a "tsunami of hate", the trial was also told. All he had done, he suggested, was challenge people who had said things I believed to be untrue. I pleaded with him [Belfield] to stop. The criteria for applying for an order are set out in section 1(1) of the Stalking Protection Act 2019. Bernie confirms on air 'they' think he's "bonkers & loony toons". Breen sacked him on the spot, but agreed to honour the last two months of his contract. There are lessons to learn clearly and the toxic nature of online hate will only get worse for staff. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. He warned Belfield he needed to be "extra careful about your online communications" as he adjourned the case. He took photos of Hewiss wife and young child from social media and included them in his videos, even using a picture of a foetal scan showing Hewiss unborn baby as part of his relentless email campaign of harassment. The opening of the trial heard that Belfield had been a presenter at BBC Radio Leeds, having been given a one-year contract in spring 2010. Both question why the corporation only really took the abuse seriously once a well-known man Vine was involved. Then in June 2020, Katie Hopkins was permanently banned from Twitter, opening up a gap in the market for anti-woke, anti-immigrant polemics with an English accent. He was convicted Friday, August 5, 2022, on four counts of stalking. The Court of Appeal has confirmed Belfield has made an application for permission to appeal his sentence, but said this is "still in the very early stages of the process". 6 months later the BBC refuse to reveal which BBC person wrote the email. Jurors deliberated for 14 hours and 27 minutes before reaching their verdicts, following a four-week trial that began on 5 July. Green blames the BBC for the not-guilty verdicts: The reason I believe the court didnt find him guilty on our charges though we will never know what the jury was thinking was because the BBC allowed it to go on for so long. UPDATE. Our fears and anxiety were downplayed. Helen Thomas, now director of BBC England, told the jury that she was told to man up by a BBC boss when she complained about Belfields behaviour. Friday Night is our 2nd Handbag Heaven Club Night. I am offensive My human right allows me to speak words that are not to everyones taste, he told the jury. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. 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. 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. The final two victims who went to court and testified against Belfield were both from the theatre world. y the time Belfield began tormenting Dehany in 2020 he had become a successful YouTuber who could have been earning up to 528,000 a year, according to Social Blade, a website that monitors social media channels. Mr Justice Saini had sentenced Belfield to two-and-a-half years for stalking one of the complainants, Bernie Keith. Toggle primary navigation. When blocked on Twitter he used other accounts to see what I was tweeting and routinely publicly mocked me to his social media followers, posting screengrabs he could only have obtained by using an account that I hadn't blocked.". Victim personal statements were not read out in court, but Mr Hewis tweeted his after the sentencing. Stalking Bernard Spedding (known as Bernie Keith) between 25 November 2012 and 2 April 2017, and between 3 April 2017 and 31 March 2021. . "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. It was on that channel that he first broadcast highly partisan court reports from his own trial, later posted to YouTube and still available to view, after persuading the judge that he was a journalist and should be given the same rights as the Nottingham Post. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. But some of the complainants feel they never really got justice. However, he has also been charged with stalking Bernie Keith and videographer Ben Hewis. Mr Vine faced a torrent of abuse online, including thousands of social media messages from Belfields followers and personal threats. Close Belfield-watchers believe his lurch to the right was a business decision rather than an ideological one. A BBC radio host has revealed that alleged stalking by an ex-staff member left him contemplating suicide. At conservative gathering, Trump is still the favourite. 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'. It was a nine-year obsession, which saw him make what the judge described as the false and scandalous accusation that Keith regularly had sex in public on gay beaches with strangers. His trial heard he made YouTube videos about them, posted messages on social media, sent emails, and also encouraged his followers to target them. . I NEED YOUR HELP TO GET JUSTICE. 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. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. To those who had been monitoring Belfields output for the past few years, it was no surprise that he wanted the final word. Mr Vine was subjected to false and baseless claims relating to the supposed theft of 1,000, the court heard. Both had come to the defence of others under attack by Belfield. Alex performed 56 shows in 2012, 48 shows in 2013, 52 shows in 2014 & 54 shows in 2015.. With up to 3 or 4 shows a day - this years mammoth tour was his biggest production yet! Prosecutors claimed Belfield subjected Vine to a relentless online campaign that included a wave of personal and unpleasant attacks on YouTube,TwitterandFacebookover an 11-month period. "He now has developed the insight that he didn't have before," Mr Aubrey said. Belfield soon became obsessed with ruining Hewiss professional and personal life. It was hard to take any satisfaction from the jailing of this despicable man when he will not serve a single day in jail for what he did to the four Leeds women, he said. Mr Justice Saini had sentenced Belfield to two-and-a-half years for stalking one of the complainants, Bernie Keith. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk. I accept the evidence that Mr Belfield effectively followed these women by online harassment throughout their careers, said the judge. Thats a word I have never heard We four were left to suffer and are suffering still, she says. All of the people who liked and re-tweeted Hewis libel will be called as witnesses. 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. 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. 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'. Belfield had harassed this victim, BBC Radio Northampton presenter Bernard Spedding, for nine years and some of his followers had sent him death threats. =NYOn:0'tzcD|k1xKx^-58nn-~?Oo>K KJ9OVJN3>:EOLbTk*q2ScG=UrS+0t-qNXZ.3X ;{h0B. "Your methods were, however, just as effective as a way of intimidating your victims, and were in many ways much harder to deal with.". Some feel he was given too much power in his own trial. "I had this naked hate being piled on me every day and I had to be funny and I had to entertain people," he said. Belfield also published Mr Vine's address to a "mass audience", the judge said. 'You can't work out how it's happened. Start the ball rolling by posting a comment on this article! Then began a 10-year campaign of harassment against both Breen and Green, as well as Helen Thomas, Breens line manager, who was head of regional and local programming for Yorkshire. "I will never be able to work out why it has happened to me.". UPDATE. 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". This was a man who had not only eschewed lawyers to represent himself in court, but who had reported on his own trial each night online; a man who even after being found guilty, appeared on stage in Blackpool with controversial rightwing commentator Katie Hopkins, playing up his role as The Stalker as he awaited sentence. Hewis tweet and email vindictively intended to destroy my career and reputation. Neither had ever met him. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. First Belfield bawled out the stations beloved gardening correspondent for a perceived act of insubordination, prompting a surge of listener complaints. Belfield, 42, subjected four people in a "relentless" campaign of stalking - including broadcaster Jeremy Vine. Ex-BBC presenter guilty of stalking broadcasters including Jeremy Vine and Radio Northampton's Bernie Keith. arring a successful appeal, Belfield will serve at least the next two years and 39 weeks in jail, before being released on licence to serve the second half of his sentence. Belfield showed no emotion and wrote on a piece of paper as verdicts were delivered. 01604 491005. On Count 5, After his first arrest, in June 2020, he started two crowdfunders to raise money to sue first the BBC and then Nottinghamshire police. According to the Institute of Lawfare, lawfare is the misuse and abuse of the law for political, commercial and military ends. Breen says she and others flagged Belfields behaviour repeatedly but were told just not to look at the emails, or to delete them. He was terrified of you. Belfield also phoned Dehanys mother and then threatened to broadcast the call an outrageous and cruel act, said Saini and effectively sought to blackmail him by revealing details of a long-spent conviction. 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. This resulted in my reputation destroyed in the eyes of peers who blocked me. He realised what he could do and did it with impunity. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk. Belfield, 42, who weaponised the internet, was last month found guilty at Nottingham Crown Court of waging a relentless campaign, where Mr Vine said he was subjected to an avalanche of hatred. In relation to Jeremy Vine and theatre blogger Philip Dehany, he was found guilty of two lesser offences of "simple" stalking, which does not require serious alarm or distress to be proved. Bernie Keithwho 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 and false claims. Also speaking during the trial, describing watching Belfields video output as like swimming in sewage, Mr Vine said: 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.. He will be even more unbearable, she said in an Instagram video, with a twinkle in her eye that suggested she can hardly wait. A security company had also been brought in to collect him from the radio station's car park, Mr Keith said. Belfield had denied stalking the 57-year-old, and seven other alleged victims, claiming he was the subject of a witch hunt. 27 febrero, 2023 . After stopping the counselling after three sessions Mr Keith said he also spoke to a specialist who helped stalking victims. Unable to work and claiming to be on 86-a-week universal credit when the theatres shut, Belfield reinvented himself as a rightwing shockjock. With an international audience via YouTube - Celebrity Radio continues to grow. Alex Belfield was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in behind bars (Image: PA) A civil stalking order is being pursued at the magistrates' court against former BBC DJ Alex . 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. 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. Another BBC radio presenter, a transgender woman called Stephanie Hirst, became Belfields next target after refusing him an interview after her transition. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. That prompted Belfield to set up his secret Voice of Reason channel, which streamed behind a paywall on his website. 100+ emails sent/received from BBC & lawyers no defense of Spedding whatsoever. 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.. ). The optics arent good, says Breen. Mr Vine labelled him "the Jimmy Savile of trolling" during the trial which heard he repeatedly posted or sent abusive messages, videos and emails. The fact we were left unsupported from the acts of someone regarded as a prolific, now convicted, stalker is problematic. Mr Spedding, who is known as Bernie Keith, and videographer Ben Hewis. Feb 8. 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. As Prince Harry says he felt like the film 'the boy in the bubble' before having therapy, who was 12-year-old David Vetter whose tragic story inspired the documentary? His subscriber count has dropped, but still stands at 354,000. 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. The BBC turned a blind eye to the abuse, says Green: We were not heard. Stephanie Hirst presented a show at the station after he left, in the same time slot. BBC & RPC lawyers refuse to deny BBC DJ Bernard Spedding / Bernie Keith wrote email. and BBC Radio Northampton's Bernie Keith. Belfield has worked for over 80 radio stations in the UK. 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. Unprovoked, anonymous, malicious email published by Ben Hewis Oct 1 2019. The 42-year-old was also found guilty of stalking BBC Radio Northampton presenter Bernie Keith and videographer Ben Hewis. I had gone to the police to make it stop and it was just getting worse. Sanctimonious, petulant and remorseless, taking elements of fact and twisting them to suit his own purposes while belittling his targets and monetising these distortions, even as he sat in a prison cell. Mr Belfield was today sentenced to five years and 26 months in prison at Nottingham Crown Court. . Two days have been set aside to hear the application at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on March 7. Ben Hewis refuses to engage with the police and hand over the email. 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Moslimin, unser einzig logische weiters beste arabische & muslimische Online dating-, Ehe- und Freundschaftsseite ihr Erde Selbige Moslimin-Webseite fur jedes Relationships weiters Hochzeit wird hinein mehreren Sprachen zuganglich unter anderem hundred% kostenlos Unter unserer Seite Moslimin wird parece nun erdenklich, Ihren zukunftigen Ehemann und Ihre zukunftige Angetraute inside mehreren . 18:16, 4 JAN 2023. Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims. Port Vale F.C. - a disco for people who want to dance to songs they know from backalong but have nowhere to go. and BBC Radio Northampton's Bernie Keith. . News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Green still works for the BBC but is trying to negotiate a settlement to leave. "Throughout this trial, victims and other witnesses have given evidence with dignity and I would like to thank them for their willingness to give evidence. "He said he could see their distress in court and feels deeply sorry for what he did.". Here's Celebrity Radio's BBC Bernie Keith & Ben Hewis STATEMENTFull statement on legal action & police inquiry - BBC Bernie Keith / Bernard Spedding & Ben Hewis. ): They boast glorious ocean views, but swathes of homes along America's coastlines are at risk of tumbling off CLIFFS due to erosion, rising sea levels and extreme weather events, Are YOU guilty of these gym sins? 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 . 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. Hewis encouraged an entire industry to block me.over lies he endorsed! Similar orders in favour of four other individuals the BBCs former head of the north Rozina Breen, former BBC Radio Leeds presenters Liz Green and Stephanie Hirst, and BBC executive Helen Thomas were also made. Former BBC presenter found guilty of stalking, Alleged stalker 'is victim of BBC witch-hunt', Jeremy Vine tells trial of 'avalanche of hatred', BBC boss 'terrified by radio host's stalking', Ex-BBC presenter 'stalked fellow broadcasters', Police appeal after stolen tools recovered, Jacksdale ferret rescue plans much-needed fundraiser, Plans for fast food outlets and a bar outside Motorpoint Arena, Huge solar farm near Gotham and East Leake recommended for approval, Community clean-up aims to improve feeling of safety in Warsop, Hucknall bus window smashed by yob with a brick, Street fighting in Bakhmut but Russia not in control, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims. During his trial, the court heard from his stalking victims - including BBC Radio Northampton presenter Bernie Keith. 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. Articles by Alex Belfield on Muck Rack. Mr Justice Saini said Belfield's campaign of harassment had left Mr Keith just seconds away from dying by suicide. Barring a successful appeal, Belfield will serve at least the next two years and 39 weeks in jail, before being released on licence to serve the second half of his sentence. He soon made enemies in the theatre world, says a director who started monitoring his online activities a few years ago (and who wishes to remain anonymous). 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. Alex Belfields online harassment made life misery for BBC presenters Jeremy Vine, Liz Green and many others. Alex Belfield is currently in prison after being convicted of stalking four men, Belfield made videos throughout his trial and posted them on YouTube. YouTuber Alex Belfield is planning to appeal against his prison sentence for stalking four men online. We cover what people are talking about every day and celebrate the very best that this incredible part of the world has to offer. @decotheatre. Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims. Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? 15:33, 16 SEP 2022. Alex Belfield, who now runs a YouTube channel, stalked his victims by harassing them online. 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 One of the BBC targets was Bernie Keith, a veteran presenter at BBC Radio Northampton who was once Belfield's friend. Police inquiry opened Feb 2020 Nottinghamshire Police. Belfield, who has 361,000 followers on his YouTube channel, The Voice Of Reason, and 43,000 on Twitter, directed his attacks via social media in highly negative and often abusive terms, the judge said. %PDF-1.7 % READ MORE:Jury's verdicts delivered in stalking trial of ex-BBC presenter Alex Belfield. 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. For the best part of 10 years they had been complaining about Belfields vendetta, in which he sent hundreds, if not thousands, of emails to them and their superiors. Belfield was found not guilty of stalking Rozina Breen, Liz Green, Helen Thomas and Stephanie Hirst. \Mb+r'rS~(aU\voP GCK16X0v04p62h,3 0b``f:(x3j=)\-u`IL! 'The counselling didn't work for me - I had never had counselling before and I found it very difficult, very alien.'. Hazell is one of numerous others who now say Belfield trolled them. BBC Radio Northampton presenter Bernie Keith told the court he was left feeling suicidal by what he called Belfield's "tsunami of hate." Belfield's contract with BBC Radio Leeds ended in 2011. 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.
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