BBC apologises to former staff for failing to act on reports of stalking

The BBC has issued a "full and unreserved apology" to four female former employees after admitting it did not do enough to protect them from a presenter who was later jailed for stalking Jeremy Vine.

- Michael Savage

Alex Belfield, a former BBC local radio presenter, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison in 2022 after being found guilty of waging a stalking campaign against four people, including Vine.

The corporation has now said that it is "deeply sorry" to four women who had also been subjected to a campaign of abuse by Belfield over several years.

While Belfield was cleared of stalking Helen Thomas, Rozina Breen, Liz Green and Stephanie Hirst, the judge ruled they had been targeted by him in "a personal campaign of revenge", leaving them all needing psychological support. Belfield was handed an indefinite restraining order preventing him from contacting the women.