A man who bombarded a BBC presenter with dozens of "grossly violent and offensive" greetings cards, including rape threats, has been jailed for two years and six months.
Gordon Hawthorn, 69, admitted stalking Alex Lovell by sending 38 cards to her at BBC Points West in Bristol over a two-year period.
The cards, often featuring animals on the front, included threats to rape the presenter and claims he had attacked five other women.
They were signed with a distinctive set of five crosses and the name "Gordon", with Hawthorn later ending them with "your stalker" or "your soon to be rapist" as they became more sinister.
Ms Lovell contacted Avon and Somerset Police after receiving a card in which Hawthorn stated his New Year's resolution was to have sex with her, with or without her consent.
Hawthorn was identified after another woman, who had received a Valentine's Day card at her workplace, recognised his handwriting on a police appeal.
Judge Martin Picton jailed Hawthorn for two years and six months and imposed an indefinite restraining order preventing him from contacting Ms Lovell or visiting the BBC in Bristol.
The judge described Hawthorn's cards as "disgusting and frightening" and said they contained "grossly violent and offensive material".
He told Hawthorn: "People in the public eye are entitled to the same respect and privacy as everyone else in society.
"The fact that someone has a high public profile does not mean that it can be open season for people such as yourself.
"You need to understand, as does the public in general, that serious consequences result from appalling behaviour of the kind that features in this case."
He continued: "For two years, she could never be sure that she was safe.
"Ms Lovell would have an awareness, whenever she was on screen, that the author of those letters was watching and thinking the kind of thoughts that you expressed in your messages to her.
"When out and about she could never be sure that the author of the cards was not spying on her or posing a threat to her safety."
Judge Picton said the cards made Ms Lovell feel "disgusted, frightened and miserable".
The court heard Hawthorn began sending cards to Ms Lovell at the BBC in November 2012, often on occasions such as Valentine's Day, Christmas, New Year's Day, Easter and her birthday.
When police examined Hawthorn's computer, they found he had conducted research on the presenter to establish details including her date of birth.
Prosecuting, Nikki Coombe said the cards described what Ms Lovell had been wearing on television became more "graphic and distressing".
Ms Lovell reported the cards to the BBC and police became involved following one card on January 12 in 2016.
This read: "Make no mistake Alex that I am going to have sex with you this year, even if it means I have to rape you."
The presenter later told police that reading his explicit threat "caused her blood to run cold", Mrs Coombe said.
Hawthorn's cards went on to describe how he was following her in the street, had been close enough to smell her hair, knew what she was wearing and threatened to come to her home.
In a victim personal statement, Ms Lovell said she had been looking over her shoulder wondering if her stalker was nearby every day since receiving the first threat.
Security measures were increased at the BBC and at the home she shares with her husband.
Representing Hawthorn, Catherine Spedding said her client was remorseful and had been in a relationship with his 74-year-old partner for 34 years.
Speaking after the case, Ms Lovell appealed for victims of stalking to "tell someone who can help".
"The nightmare is finally over," she said, "and I'd once again like to thank my friends and family, BBC colleagues and police for all their help and support."
Ms Lovell hosted Brainteaser on Channel Five in 2002 after working on a live shopping channel. She has been presenting on BBC Points West since 2005.
Reporting by Press Association.
