Man jailed for stalking BBC presenter Alexis Green

A British man was sentenced to more than three months behind bars this week for stalking a popular BBC presenter, who detailed how the harassment forced her to take time away from work.

Timothy O’Brien, 55, of Christchurch, was sentenced on Wednesday to 17 weeks’ imprisonment and given an indefinite restraining order preventing him from contacting the victim, the Advertiser & Times reported.

Before sentencing, the Southampton Magistrates’ Court heard how the former avionics engineer sent BBC South presenter Alexis Green over 100 suggestive Facebook messages between Dec. 18 and Jan. 24, when he was arrested.

“I feel physically sick presenting the weather, knowing the defendant could be watching,” Green told the court in her victim statement.

Eventually, Green said, she took time off work to deal with the “extreme anxiety” that O’Brien’s harassment campaign caused her.

The Cardiff University graduate, who lives with her partner and child, spoke from behind a screen so she did not have to see the defendant, the Telegraph reported.

Green also said O’Brien’s obsessive behavior curtailed her running because she imagined him “lurking behind [her].”

“It has made me feel less confident in every aspect of my life,” she said.

“I can’t remember feeling such a dark time in my life … And all this because of one man’s actions and obsessions.”

According to the Daily Echo, O’Brien wept as he listened to Green’s statement.

Green’s emotional words were underscored by prosecutor Bethany Adams, who described the “unpleasant” content of the messages, photos and videos O’Brien sent.

In addition to repellent comments about Green’s “nice legs” and “sexy little dress,” Adams said, O’Brien offered to send her more illicit pictures and propositioned her for sex.

“He asks Ms. Green if she likes his body and said, ‘If you like, I will send a picture of my [genitals]. If you don’t block me, I will take that as a yes,’ accompanied by emojis with love eyes and tongue out,” Adams said of one video.

O’Brien was arrested on suspicion of stalking in late January after Green unsuccessfully attempted to block him.

Green, however, said she continued to worry because she did not know whether O’Brien had been released in the lead-up to the court date.

 “I’m on the TV — he will always be able to see me,” she explained.

During mitigation, defense attorney Mark Hensleigh said O’Brien “accepts what he did was wrong and he apologizes to the victim.”

The father of four, Hensleigh continued, previously enjoyed a “successful career” until the end of his marriage prompted him to “fixate” on people. 

O’Brien, who had previous convictions for stalking and violating a restraining order, allegedly told his defense that he messaged Green while “in drink.”

In addition to the prison term and restraining order, the judge ordered O’Brien to cover court fees and to stay away from Green’s place of work.