Alex Belfield
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Comment: Zero sources cited. Numberguy6 (talk) 03:24, 3 December 2022 (UTC)
Alex Belfield | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1979 or 1980 (age 44–45) Nottingham, England |
| Nationality | English |
| Occupations |
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| Employer | BBC (former) |
| Known for |
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Alex Belfield (born 1979 or 1980)[1] is an English former radio presenter for BBC Radio Leeds who was dismissed for misconduct. Belfield went on to claim online fame through YouTube amassing a large listener audience for his right-wing views of current social issues.
Belfield's career began in radio in the Midlands but was terminated due to his behaviour towards BBC colleagues. Belfield went on to create his own online show called The Voice of Reason on YouTube to promote his anti-establishment and right-wing ideology.
Belfield was convicted of stalking charges in September 2022. His YouTube channel remains live.
Career
Belfield's career began as an entertainer in Nottingham at the age of 14.[2] His career has spanned television, radio and print. He was responsible for stories on the front pages of The Sun, the Daily Mirror and the Daily Express.[3] He worked at Mansfield 103.2 FM in the early 2000s.[4] He presented the mid-morning show on BBC Radio Leeds. In 2010 he made lewd comments about weather presenter Keeley Donovan's broadcasts at home that resulted in complaints from listeners. As punishment, Belfield was suspended from the station for a day and strongly reprimanded by BBC bosses. He later described his time at Radio Leeds as "the worst year of my life".[3]
Belfield went on to claim online fame through his YouTube channel called The Voice of Reason.[3] He amassed a large listener audience for his right-wing views of current social issues. He used the channel to promote his anti-establishment and right-wing ideology, broadcasting from home in the Mapperley area of Nottingham.[1]
In a video on 22 March 2021 he said he had been living through hell for the past year and a half. He said that a witch-hunt against him had been orchestrated by the BBC in collusion with Nottinghamshire Police. He claimed he had been arrested four times and had had his house raided twice without a warrant.[3]
Stalking charges
On 18 June 2021 Belfield was summonsed to appear at Nottingham Magistrates' Court, where he was charged with 12 counts of stalking "involving fear of violence or serious alarm or distress" on 1 July.[5] On 29 July he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court and was alleged to have stalked eight people between November 2012 and March 2021, including BBC staff members Stephanie Hirst and Jeremy Vine. He denied all charges and was released on conditional bail. He appeared at the Crown Court on 4 November for a case management hearing and stood trial on 4 July 2022.[1]
Conviction
Belfield was convicted in September 2022 for four of eight stalking charges at Nottingham Crown Court. He was found guilty of stalking, as well as causing distress to Liz Green, Stephanie Hurst, Helen Thomas and Rozina Breen.
The verdicts in relation to each complainant were:
- Rozina Breen – not guilty
- Liz Green – not guilty
- Helen Thomas – not guilty
- Stephanie Hirst – not guilty
- Bernard Spedding – guilty (majority verdict)
- Ben Hewis – guilty (unanimous verdict)
- Philip Dehany – not guilty to the charge on the indictment but guilty of the alternative charge of "simple" stalking (majority verdict)
- Jeremy Vine – not guilty to the charge on the indictment but guilty of the alternative charge of "simple" stalking (unanimous verdict)
The judge told Belfield he will serve half of his sentence in prison and the remainder on licence. In addition, the judge made restraining orders for life for all eight victims.
His YouTube channel remains live.[6]
References
- ^ a b c "Alex Belfield: Former BBC presenter denies stalking charges". BBC News. 29 July 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- ^ "Alex Belfield". BBC Radio Leeds. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- ^ a b c d Nelson, Alex (22 March 2021). "Alex Belfield latest: who is the Voice of Reason YouTuber – and what he said on Twitter about the BBC and arrests". Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- ^ "Former Mansfield 103.2 presenter Alex Belfield summonsed to court on stalking allegations". Mansfield and Ashfield Chad. 19 June 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- ^ "Alex Belfield summonsed in relation to stalking offence". RadioToday. 18 June 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- ^ Pridmore, Oliver (28 September 2022). "Sexist Alex Belfield videos still on YouTube despite prison sentence". Nottinghamshire Live. Retrieved 21 January 2023.