Alex Belfield, a former BBC local radio DJ who was dubbed the “Jimmy Savile of trolling,” was sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of four stalking crimes against broadcasters, including Jeremy Vine.
After a month-long trial, 42-year-old Belfield was found guilty of conducting a persistent surveillance campaign against broadcasters, with Jeremy Vine receiving a “avalanche of hatred.”
During a trial, Mr. Vine referred to him as “the Jimmy Savile of trolling” because he routinely posted or sent nasty comments, videos, and emails.
In August, Belfield, of Mapperley, was found guilty of stalking in order to cause fear and distress to BBC Radio Northampton’s Bernie Keith, as well as the same offence in relation to cameraman Ben Hewis.
In addition, he was found guilty of “simple stalking” of theatrical blogger Philip Dehany and of Jeremy Vine, the presenter, broadcaster, and journalist best known for anchoring a BBC Radio 2 programme.
The trial heard how a “tsunami of hate” left Mr. Keith feeling suicidal.
Mr. Vine also testified against Belfield, telling the jurors, “This is not a regular troll here. This is the Jimmy Savile of trolling.”
Mr. Vine compared viewing Belfield’s video output to swimming in filth and said of the defendant’s behaviour, ‘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.’
In dramatic witness testimony, Mr. Vine sobbed as he told jurors that Belfield’s videos and tweets about him sparked a “avalanche of hatred” from other internet users, and that he was forced to install security cameras at his home out of fear that one of the 42-year-old’s “disciples” would launch a knife or acid attack against him or his family.
The Nottingham Crown Court heard that Mr. Vine, who claimed that Mr. Belfield made 124 allusions to him in his online material over a 14-day period, was obliged to hang a photo of Mr. Belfield in the hallway and tell his teenage daughter to be vigilant on the street, leading her to cry.
The jury found Belfield guilty of four crimes committed between 2012 and 2021.
Belfield was sentenced to a total of five years and 26 weeks in jail, of which he will spend one-half, for each of the four convictions he received.
Mr. Justice Saini, while passing sentence, informed Belfield, who was sitting in the court dock taking notes, “Your offences are so serious, only a custodial sentence can be justified.”
John McGuinness QC, the prosecutor, told the jury that Belfield’s behaviour was “more akin to internet trolling” than the “‘more recognisable form of stalking – following the victim when they are moving around in the street, or turning up at their house or place of work to confront them.”
According to him, Belfield constantly contacted his victims through email, Twitter, and Facebook, or he made accusations about them via email, Twitter, and online videos.
During his testimony, however, Mr. Vine stated that he had previously dealt with a “physical” stalker, claiming that this was a “picnic” compared to Belfield’s 11-month internet abuse between 2020 and last year.
He explained how Belfield urged his fans to make phoney calls to his Channel 5 television and BBC Radio 2 programmes.
Mr. Vine said that he was unaware of Belfield’s existence until April 2020, when a friend emailed him a link to a YouTube video containing a “rant” against him, with Belfield concluding: “This guy really p***** me off.”
Mr. Vine said that he “wished he hadn’t’ viewed it, adding: ‘Watching this man is like swimming in sewage.”
Then, a “constant bombardment” of videos, tweets, and messages ensued.
Mr. Vine said during the hearing, “I can see he is really starting to personally dislike me, and I do not know why because I have never had anything to do with this man.”