Former DJ jailed for more than five years for stalking BBC Radio Northampton's Bernie Keith among others

Ex-BBC DJ Alex Belfield has been jailed for five-and-a-half years for stalking four colleagues including BBC Radio Northampton’s Bernie Keith.

Belfield, aged 42, was found guilty of stalking Mr Vine and three others between 2012 and 2021 following a trial last month.

A court heard Belfield waged a nine year "campaign of harassment" against BBC staff after he was axed from his mid-morning show in 2011.

He targeted ex-colleagues and a theatre blogger through vicious emails, tweets and messages before uploading videos to his YouTube channel called The Voice of Reason.

On Friday (September 16) Belfield, of Mapperley, Nottinghamshire, was jailed for five-and-a-half years at Nottingham Crown Court.

Mr Justice Saini said: “Your stalking consisted the use of repeated email communications, social media content on Twitter and creation and publication of YouTube videos on your channel The Voice of Reason.

“Witnesses said you weaponised the internet, I find that an apt description of your conduct.

“The emails were widely distributed and not sent directly to victims. You would use a different email address to get through to them.

“Which understandably made them fear for their safety.

“Online stalkers like you have the ability to recruit an army of followers whose conduct massively expands the effects of your stalking.

“That is why your stalking is more serious than that of a conventional stalker.”

One of Belfield’s victims was BBC radio presenter Bernie Keith who came close to taking his own life as a result of the stalking.

Describing the impact the abuse had on Mr Keith, Mr Justice Saini said: “He’s the highly respected and established of many years at BBC radio Northampton.

“Your harassment of him took place over a substantial period of time. These were nine years.

“Having once been a friend and acquaintance, your harassment against Mr Keith first took the form of many emails which sort to criticise his shows.

“He asked you in a polite and restrained manner to stop.

“You bombarded Mr Keith with Facebook messages and YouTube videos. You continued to send repeat and abusive communications direct to Mr Keith.

“Mr Keith gave the jury distressing evidence of how close he came to hang himself.

“He was seconds away from taking his life as a result of your conduct.”

Belfield's other victims were Jeremy Vine, videographer Ben Hewis and theatre blogger Philip Dehany.

Jailing Belfield, who sat with his head down taking notes throughout the hearing, the judge said: “This is the shortest sentence commensurate with the seriousness of your offences and application of the principle of totality.

“You will serve up to one half of this sentence in custody. You will serve the remainder on licence.”

Judge Saini also imposed restraining orders preventing Belfield from contacting his four victims until further notice and ordered him to pay £10,000 costs.