The BBC has apologised for not doing enough to help staff who alleged they were stalked by a former presenter.
Alex Belfield, formerly of BBC Radio Leeds, was jailed for five-and-a-half years in September 2022 after being convicted of four stalking charges against broadcasters.
Among his targets was Channel 5 chat show host and BBC Radio 2 DJ Jeremy Vine, who described the abuse as “Olympic-level stalking”, and theatre blogger Philip Dehany.
Belfield was also accused of stalking the BBC’s former head of north Rozina Breen, ex-Radio Leeds presenters Elizabeth Green and Stephanie Hirst, and director of BBC England Helen Thomas.
He was found not guilty on those charges.
However, indefinite restraining orders, barring Belfield from contacting the women, were made.
On Wednesday, the BBC said it “simply didn’t do enough” for the four women after they raised concerns about Belfield’s behaviour.
“People who work for the BBC are often in the public eye and under scrutiny, however it is unacceptable for anyone to be the target of sustained abuse in the way that Rozina Breen, Elizabeth Green, Stephanie Hirst and Helen Thomas were over a number of years,” the corporation said in a statement.
“The BBC cares deeply about the welfare of its staff and we recognise that before 2019 we simply didn’t do enough for these members of staff in understanding the full impact that Alex Belfield’s unacceptable behaviour had on them.
“For that we are deeply sorry and offer a full and unreserved apology. Abuse – particularly on social media – presents lots of challenges for employers and we all need to keep learning and implement the best practice on how we can support our staff.
“That’s why the BBC has an online abuse guidance and reporting tool, which today provides all staff with information and support on how to address and combat online abuse.
“The BBC has also expanded its mental wellbeing resources and strengthened our internal investigative capabilities. We are significantly better equipped to manage these issues now and in the future, but we will never be complacent.”
Belfield, who ran his own YouTube channel, was found guilty after a trial at Nottingham Crown Court of waging a relentless stalking campaign, with Mr Vine subjected to an “avalanche of hatred”.
Jurors convicted Belfield of four charges, committed between 2012 and 2021, of causing serious alarm or distress and “simple” stalking in relation to Mr Vine and Mr Dehany.
Mr Vine described the abuse as "absolutely Olympic-level stalking, even for broadcasting".
On X, he wrote: “It’s right that the BBC apologise for its early responses when women at BBC Leeds were targeted by the criminal stalker Alex Belfield.
“They were told to ‘ignore and delete’ his thousands of abusive emails, when actually the advice should have been ‘log and keep’.”
He claimed this was “bad advice”, and “the BBC began to take the case seriously only when (ex-BBC boss Lord) Tony Hall and (director-general) Tim Davie took charge. I hope this statement from the BBC (and any compensation) helps these four survivors put this awful case behind them.
“Belfield’s was a landmark conviction in internet stalking, abuse and harassment.”
