Companies such as YouTube and Twitter lacked moral values, BBC Radio 2 and Channel 5 said. Belfield, a former BBC radio presenter in Leeds, was jailed for five years and 26 weeks on Friday after being found guilty by a jury of broadcasters, including Vine, of subjecting his victims to “an avalanche of hate”. The judge, Mr Justice Saini, said Belfield’s actions were not traditional stalking but “were just as effective a way of intimidating victims and in many ways much more difficult to deal with”. He cited witnesses who said Belfield had “weaponised the internet” describing it as “a completely apt description of your behaviour”. Vine described Belfield as “the Jimmy Savile of trolling” and said watching Belfield’s YouTube videos was “like swimming in sewage”. He told a court: “I was brought so low. I just thought, “There’s no point in broadcasting if the result is that I have this.” Speaking to the Sunday Times, Vine criticized social media platforms such as YouTube and Twitter. “We had to get lawyers to take the shit out of him, and even then it’s hard,” Vine said. “Companies just say no. They have no moral values.” Vine said it was “scandalous” that Belfield could cite his own case on YouTube and said the law continues to cover new technology. Alex Belfield. Photo: Jacob King/PA Belfield had 360,000 followers on his Voice of Reason YouTube channel and 43,000 on Twitter. The judge said Belfield directed his attacks via social media “in extremely negative and often abusive terms”. His aim was, in his own words, to “haunt” his victims and he developed his “army of followers” to heap abusive messages on those he targeted, Saini said. “Online stalkers like you have the ability to recruit an army of followers whose behavior massively expands the effect of your stalking,” he said. “You made communications that had a serious impact on the complainants’ private lives, with distressing effects on their mental and physical health. “You have the right to have and express opinions, but you don’t have the right to destroy the personal lives of your victims through online harassment.” Belfield was found guilty in August of stalking Vine and three others after a five-week trial at Nottingham Crown Court. Last Saturday Belfield – then a convicted stalker – played alongside Katie Hopkins at the Joe Longthorn Theater in Blackpool. The show was called Two Gobshites Live. “Alex and Katie is the perfect night out if you want to laugh at the insanity of our leftist world,” read the conversation. “Not PC but totally LOL. “Watch them mercilessly poke fun at everyone from politicians to celebrities in this EXCLUSIVE two-hour seaside special.” Belfield was also found guilty of stalking BBC Radio Northampton presenter Bernie Keith, who was left suicidal by a “tsunami of hate”, the court heard. His other victims were theater blogger Philip Dehany and videographer Ben Hewis. Vine told The Sunday Times that the chase was routine for broadcasters. “Of my three best friends at the BBC, they all had stalkers. I think stalking is the industrial disease of the show.” YouTube said it suspended monetization of Belfield’s channel – as it is not allowed to carry advertising – in February. This was for violating her harassment policy. A spokesperson said: “Monetization on the Voice of Reason channel remains suspended due to a violation of our creator responsibility policy. If we see that a creator’s behavior outside the platform is harming our users, community, employees, or ecosystem, we take action to protect the community.” A Twitter spokesperson said they had no comment.
