Alex Belfield's release from prison forces stalking victims to relive their fears
Alex Belfield was condemned as 'the Jimmy Savile of trolling' when he was jailed for a stalking campaign against broadcasters including Jeremy Vine.
His victims have now spoken of their fears as the 45-year-old is released from prison, from where he has been plotting a comeback and a summer tour of self-promotion.
The former BBC Radio Leeds host turned YouTuber appeared to make light of his crimes while at HMP Fosse Way in Leicestershire, describing himself on his website as a 'convicted talker' and 'political prisoner'.
In fact, he was jailed for five and a half years in September 2022 for stalking four men, including Vine, who told the trial that watching Belfield's hateful output was 'like swimming in sewage'.
For the former BBC Radio Leeds presenter Liz Green, one of four women subjected to a campaign of abuse by Belfield, his release on licence at the halfway point of his sentence comes just as she was beginning to move on from her decade-long ordeal.
'I wish he had stayed in for five and a half years,' the 61-year-old said as she recalled the harassment campaign that took a toll on her physical and mental health. 'I was suicidal. It made me very ill. My hair fell out. I withdrew from the world for a while. I had therapy, and I'm just about now coming out of the other end. I'm quite heavily medicated – I don't mind saying that because I think people should be open about their mental health and why it happens. It really did affect me.'
In 2011, Belfield had suggested in veiled terms that Green should be sent to Auschwitz after she presented a documentary about the concentration camp. It was the start of a 10-year campaign of harassment against her, which included emails, YouTube videos and tweets.
While Belfield was cleared of stalking Green, and also Helen Thomas, Rozina Breen and Stephanie Hirst, all former BBC employees, the trial judge ruled he had targeted them in 'a personal campaign of revenge', leaving them in need of psychological support. Belfield was handed an indefinite restraining order preventing him from contacting the women.
Green, who lives in West Yorkshire, became frightened when, before his release, Belfield began promoting six books he had written in prison, his Voice of Reason YouTube channel, and a summer speaking tour to 'tell all and expose his side of the story'.
He appeared to make light of his crimes on his website, claiming he would be performing in a pantomime jokingly dubbed Jack and the Bean Stalker in 2026. His website also featured the banner: 'Thank you for stalking AlexBelfield.com – Officially a political prisoner since 2023.' The jokes which were first reported by Nottinghamshire Live have since been taken down.
Green said it was ludicrous that Belfield was 'grifting' after causing so much suffering. 'I live my life because of him in a very rigid, protected way,' she said. 'It's been a good 15 years of my life. And when I say I'm coming out of it, I don't wake up depressed, I don't wake up anxious. Anxiety is the worst thing I think anybody can have. Some days I actually feel happy.'
For the theatre blogger Philip Dehany, who was stalked by Belfield, the YouTuber's 'horrendous' conduct proves he is not remorseful. Dehany, 43, who is pursuing a civil claim for harassment against Belfield, said: 'I can't imagine how difficult prison would have been, but I had hoped he would want to put it all behind him. All I want to do is be able to move on. But because he's locked me into this civil case and because he's writing these books, he appears to be reluctant to move on.'
Green now hopes Belfield will go on to 'live a decent, honest, quiet life' by adhering to his licence conditions, which every offender is subject to so they do not seek to gain income from their crime. 'What I am concerned about when he comes out is that it's free publicity for him to spout his shite about being an oppressed political prisoner,' she said.
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Belfield's website has featured a 2,300-word statement denouncing his 'bespoke and unprecedented' licence conditions, saying he would be 'kidnapped' back to prison should he 'offend any of his captors' with his upcoming projects.
'Alex's only option is to appear in silence and release 6x 500 pages completely blank to remain within the intentionally ambiguous licence conditions. I think we can all agree even Hitler would argue this is a step too far for a man who has served his sentence, who is 100% rehabilitated, signed off by psychology without a single concern, and supposedly back in society protected by human rights laws,' the homepage said before it was taken down on Wednesday.
The website added that Belfield had 'endured the biggest witch-hunt in media history' and that he 'can't wait TO MAKE GREAT BRITAIN LAUGH AGAIN and return to mocking the afflicted'.
Belfield emailed his supporters on 6 June saying his 'long-awaited comeback' had been postponed and that he would be refunding tickets to his tour. But it claimed copies of his autobiography, His Own Worst Enema, had already shipped. While the email did not mention his licence conditions, it said: 'There are dark forces at work behind the scenes, making it impossible for Alex to move forward as planned.'
The Ministry of Justice would not comment on Belfield's licence conditions but said: 'Offenders released on licence are subject to strict conditions and can be recalled to prison immediately if they break the rules.'
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