Ex-BBC Radio DJ Alex Belfield, 42, accused of stalking Jeremy Vine also subjected former colleagues to a nine-year campaign of 'ferocious, relentless abuse' after he was axed from his mid-morning show, court hears

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A former BBC Radio DJ accused of stalking Jeremy Vine waged a nine year 'campaign of harassment' against his former colleagues after being axed from his mid-morning show, a court heard.

Alex Belfield, 42, is accused of stalking eight members of BBC staff after bosses failed to renew his contract at BBC Radio Leeds in 2011.

He stalked BBC radio star Jeremy Vine which left him 'distressed' and struggling to eat and sleep, the court heard. 

He bombarded presenters, editors and other colleagues with vile emails, tweets, messages and uploaded videos to his Youtube channel, jurors were told.

Belfield also branded Vine a 'sanctimonious p***', 'a c***' and 'scum-sucking pond life' and offered to pay people to harass him, it was claimed.

The court heard the constant bombardment of abuse left Vine's 'sense of well-being and optimism destroyed' and led to him taking security measures to protect his family.

Belfield also branded his managing editor an 'odious vile woman' and a 'spineless weasel' as well as making 'sickening, misogynistic and transphobic' remarks.

His actions were said to have caused his victims 'serious alarm and distress' which impacted their daily lives due to the 'ferocious and relentless' abuse.

Today Belfield, of Mapperley, Notts., went on trial at Nottingham Crown Court accused of eight counts of stalking.

Alex Belfield, 42, (pictured) is accused of stalking Jeremy Vine waged a nine year 'campaign of harassment' against his former colleagues after being axed from his mid-morning show

Jeremy Vine, (pictured) faced a wave of abuse online after false and entirely baseless claims were made relating to the supposed theft of £1,000, the court heard

He could be seen smirking and nodding in the dock as some of the messages he was alleged to have sent were read out to the court.

Opening the case, prosecutor John McGuinness QC said Belfield had made a string of 'distressing and gratuitous' allegations against his former workmates.

He said: 'The alleged victims did not want to be contacted by Alex Belfield, they did not want to see or hear or know what it was that he was saying about them.

'But he went ahead and did it anyway, relentlessly harassing them, knowing or being aware he was harassing them - to the extent that what he did caused them serious alarm or distress which affected their daily lives for the worse.

'Some of the conduct alleged goes back many years to 2011-2012. Other conduct alleged against the defendant is much more recent, going back to 2019-2020.'

Jeremy Vine, the court heard, faced a wave of abuse online after false and entirely baseless claims were made relating to the supposed theft of £1,000. 

Belfield is said to have developed a 'dislike, almost hatred' of Mr Vine after the BBC donated the sum to a memorial fund set up to honour a friend of the broadcaster. 

Mr McGuinness added: 'Jeremy Vine was subjected to a constant bombardment of harassing tweets and YouTube videos from Alex Belfield.

'The original cause of Alex Belfield's online attacks on Jeremy Vine arose out of what would appear to have been an unexceptional event.

'On April 8 on YouTube, Alex Belfield said on his channel: 'Jeremy Vine, can I do a rant about him I was listening to him on Radio 2 today and this guy really p**** me off'.

'On May 3 on his YouTube channel, Alex Belfield said:' 'When you talk b*****t like that on your programme Jeremy it's very dangerous because your opinions are infectious.

'Shame on you Jeremy, blood on your hands, sanctimonious p****'.

'On May 6 on his YouTube channel, Alex Belfield said of Jeremy Vine: 'I don't like Jeremy Vine, I think he's a c*** ''

The court also heard Belfield asked people watching his show to provide private contact information for Vine.

Mr McGuinness added: 'He asked those watching for his numbers, or the numbers of his family or friends.

'He said: 'Yeah, anybody got their numbers - maybe I could call them, see how they like it, scum-sucking pond life. Carry on, this is fun now, this is great'.

'Jeremy Vine was particularly distressed by Alex Belfield's threats to pay people to harass him.

'Since Alex Belfield started to make his allegations, Jeremy Vine has received threatening and abusive messages on Twitter.

Belfield, who is representing himself, denies the charges

Jeremy Vine felt as if Alex Belfield had entered his space at home and at work because of the abuse, the court heard. 

Jurors heard that Mr Vine struggled to sleep, lost his appetite and was constantly thinking what Alex Belfield's next broadcast would be.

It continued: 'He felt he had to take security advice for the protection of himself and his family because he was worried someone might come to his home and attack his family when he was not there.'

The court was told the first offences took place during Belfield's time at BBC Radio Leeds during his one year stint there between 2010 and 2011.

Mr McGuinness added: 'During this time he presented the mid-morning radio show on the station. His immediate boss was Rozina Breen and another broadcaster, Liz Green presented a talk show slot that followed immediately after Alex Belfield's show.

'There were various issues during the time that Alex Belfield was employed at the BBC, which led to the involvement of Breen's own superior, Helen Thomas who was the managing editor.

'In early 2011, it was decided that Alex Belfield's fixed term contract would not be renewed. After leaving the BBC, Alex Belfield brought further claims.

'A claim against Rozina Breen alleging that she had bullied and harassed him - but he did not pursue this claim to a hearing and was ordered to pay Rozina Breen's costs.

'A claim against the BBC arising out of the ending of his contract of employment - this claim was resolved on the basis that the BBC would not enforce the earlier costs claim.

'On January 22, 2020 - almost nine years after Alex Belfield left the BBC he continued to take great pleasure in vilifying them to a public audience.

'He called Helen Thomas an 'odious vile woman, 'the most spineless weasel' he had ever met in radio, 'promoted for failure' and 'a truly sickening woman'.

'Intermittently over a period of about nine years after Alex Belfield left the BBC, he has made distressing and gratuitous allegations against all of them in offensive and hurtful terms.

'Helen Thomas said her everyday life was affected. She dreaded turning on her computer in case there was an email from Alex Belfield.

'She felt she was constantly under a microscope. She says she coped by shutting down her feelings about him.'

Another BBC Leeds presenter Stephanie Hurst was subject to 'sickening, misogynistic and transphobic' remarks against her which were 'ferocious and relentless', the court was told.

'He has had sleepless nights believing he was going to be taken to court and that Alex Belfield would destroy his life.

'He began to believe Alex Belfied's threats and the thought of losing his home terrified him.'

Belfield, who is representing himself, denies the charges.

The trial continues.

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