Man, 43, 'stalked well-known TV presenter'
Man, 43, ‘stalked well-known TV presenter and her adult daughter on social media’ as court agrees to keep her name secret
- Carl Davies, of Flint, North Wales, pleaded not guilty to two offences yesterday
- Female presenter won fight to keep name a secret until Crown Court trial begins
- Public identification would further threaten the presenter and her family’s safety
A 43-year-old man has been accused of social media stalking of a well-known TV presenter and her adult daughter – as the court agreed to keep her name a secret.
Carl Davies, of Flint, North Wales, pleaded not guilty to the two offences between September 2019 and July 2020 during his magistrates’ court appearance yesterday.
The female presenter – who lived in a ‘constant state of anxiety’ during her alleged ordeal – won her fight to keep her name a secret until the Crown Court trial begins.
Public identification would further threaten the presenter and her family’s safety and the naming ban was likely to improve the quality of evidence given, district judge Gwyn Jones was advised by a Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) lawyer.
Cooperation was likely to be diminished by fear or distress, the judge at Llandudno Magistrates’ Court was told.
Carl Davies, of Flint, North Wales, has been accused of social media stalking of a well-known TV presenter and her adult daughter – as the court agreed to keep her name a secret
Prosecutor Ceri Ellis-Jones said: ‘These are exceptional circumstances.
‘Reporting on these offences brings real risks of copycat offences.’
Davies, appearing on a video link at Mold courts, with his solicitor Euros Jones, was remanded on conditional bail until May 7 at Mold Crown Court.
The conditions included him not contacting the complainants nor approaching the presenter’s workplace.
Judge Jones said the naming ban was the first application of its nature he had considered.
Cooperation was likely to be diminished by fear or distress, the judge at Llandudno Magistrates’ Court (pictured) was told
‘People in the public eye are no different to anyone else, save for their profile. The court should deal with all parties irrespective of who they are,’ he remarked. ‘I have to balance matters very carefully.’
Judge Jones added: ‘I don’t wish to take away the powers of any editor to report. But I have a duty to ensure victims and their views are taken into account.’
The stalking charges alleged ‘serious alarm or distress’ had been caused with threats and information posted online about the presenter and her property.
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