Targeted harassment on YouTube has been going on for a long time. However, victims of this evil way to attack creators gained a victory recently. A former BBC presenter named Alex Belfield has been sentenced to 5 and a half years for stalking Former BBC presenter jailed for stalking Jeremy Vine and three others.
Alex Belfield stalked his victims from his computer chair through his YouTube channel. He made videos and posts about his victims and he encouraged his audience to target them as well.
The judge told the court that one of Belfield’s victims, Bernard Spedding, came close to ending his life. Spedding dealt with Belfield’s harassment for nine years which included receiving death threats from Belfield’s followers.
The judge, Justice Saini, addressed Alex Belfield in court saying, “He (Bernard Spedding) was seconds away from taking his own life as a result of your conduct. You made this highly successful and confident radio presenter lose all joy in life and turned him into a shell.”
Justice Saini explained that even though Alex Belfield did not physically stalk or watch his victims, the effects were just as damaging to them. The judge was in agreement with witnesses who said Belfield weaponized the Internet and said, “Your methods were, just as effective as a way of intimidating your victims, and were in many ways much harder to deal with.”
This is very exciting news for those of us who are victims of targeted harassment and stalking on YouTube. I have been dealing with these issues and the hate these stalker creators incite for over three years. I will be discussing the judge’s sentencing of Mr. Belfield tonight on our YouTube channel. Please join us for an active discussion. Today is a victory for victims!