Entertainment
Jeremy Vine says broadcaster accused of stalking him is ‘Jimmy Savile of trolling’ in court hearing-Kim Novak-Entertainment – Metro
The man had posted videos about him.
Jeremy Vine gave evidence in court (Picture: SWNS)
Jeremy Vine has given evidence against a broadcaster accused of stalking him, comparing him to the ‘Jimmy Savile of trolling’.
Vine, 57, appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Wednesday to give evidence against former BBC Radio Leeds presenter Alex Belfield, 42, claiming he targeted him with an ‘avalanche of hatred’.
The BBC Radio 2 and Channel Five presenter told the jury: ‘This is not a regular troll here. This is the Jimmy Savile of trolling.’
Addressing videos from Belfield’s YouTube show which were shown to the court, Vine added: ‘I wished I hadn’t [seen them]. Watching this man is like swimming in sewage.’
He told the court: ‘The first time I saw Alex Belfield, or heard his name, was when he uploaded a commentary on me that referred to me as a c**t.
‘I thought, “It’s absolutely disgusting.” I found it shocking and distressing and it made me worried. I thought, “This guy is dangerous.”’
Alex Belfield denied eight counts of stalking (Picture: PA)
Vine revealed that he had previously had a ‘physical stalker’ who had followed hum, but said that one was a ‘picnic compared to this guy’.
He described the ‘avalanche of hatred’ that he felt from Belfield, interjecting his testimony at one stage to add: ‘I note the defendant is smirking throughout my evidence. It won’t stop me.’
Prosecutors allege that Belfield, 42, caused serious alarm or distress to Vine, former BBC Radio Leeds host Stephanie Hirst, and BBC Radio Northampton’s Bernie Keith.
John McGuinness QC, prosecuting, said Vine was subjected to a ‘constant bombardment’ of harassing tweets and YouTube videos in 2020.
The presenter said he was left fearing for the safety of his family (Picture: SWNS)
Belfield, from Nottingham, began as a broadcast assistant on local radio and set up a YouTube channel known as Celebrity Radio in recent years, the court heard.
He denies eight counts of stalking, including three counts relating to two managers and another presenter at BBC Radio Leeds, which are alleged to have taken place between 2012 and 2021.
Vine had also told the jury how he had to explain to his then-13-year-old daughter that he was worried one of Belfield’s 500,000 followers could pose a physical threat and ‘have a knife or acid or something’.
He said it was a year before his daughter, now 15, felt confident enough to leave the family home, adding: ‘She’s his victim as well, and he doesn’t even know her name.’
Vine added that he was ‘numb with fear’ after Belfield asked his followers for details on Vine’s family and friends, adding: ‘This is absolutely Olympic-level stalking – even for broadcasting. Every reference to him makes my flesh creep.’
The trial continues.
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