Andrew Brady: Caroline Flack ex jailed for harassing Dan Wootton

Caroline Flack was briefly engaged to Andrew Brady, a former contestant on BBC show The Apprentice

The former fiance of late TV presenter Caroline Flack has been jailed for harassing a journalist.

Andrew Brady, 31, used social media to send threats and abuse to Dan Wootton, including messages branding him a sex offender and murderer.

Sheffield Crown Court heard Brady had admitted harassing the GB News presenter between February and April last year.

Brady, a former Apprentice contestant, was jailed for four months.

The court heard how he started harassing Mr Wootton, a Daily Mail columnist and former executive editor of The Sun, around a year after Miss Flack's death on 15 February 2020.

He had faced more serious allegations of putting Mr Wootton in fear of violence, but changed his plea to admit an alternative, lesser charge of harassment.

'Utterly outrageous'

Passing sentence, Judge Jeremy Richardson QC told Brady his claims that Mr Wootton was in some way responsible for Miss Flack's death were "wholly irrational", noting that Mr Wootton was actually a friend of the Love Island presenter.

He told Brady the attacks on Mr Wootton had "everything to do with your craving for celebrity status and your irritation that the press were not in the least interested in your somewhat uninteresting life".

The judge described some of Brady's comments as "utterly outrageous".

Brady, from Sheffield, admitted using social media and video platforms to cause distress by:

• Comparing Mr Wootton to sex offender Harvey Weinstein and said he had evidence to prove this

• Inviting his social media followers to assist him

• Saying he "felt like getting rid of him once and for all"

• Saying matters "should be settled by violence"

• Leaving WhatsApp voice messages for Mr Wootton and threatening to use violence

• Stating an intention to end Mr Wootton's career

• Using social media and WhatsApp to state that Mr Wootton would be jailed

• Sending Mr Wootton an explicit image and inviting Mr Wootton to engage in sexual activity

Mr Wootton left his roles as executive editor and columnist at The Sun to join GB News

Judge Richardson also imposed a 10-year restraining order banning Brady from contacting Mr Wootton, posting anything about him online, or going within 200 yards of his home or workplace.

"You must move on with your life," the judge told him.

In a statement read to the court, Mr Wootton - who watched the proceedings by video-link - said he "adored" the "late, great Caroline Flack".

He said he had a close working relationship with her, and added: "I only ever wrote stories about Caroline that she wanted to be published."

"She knew I had her back," he added.

Mr Wootton said the late presenter called him after ending her relationship with Brady, who had appeared on The Apprentice and Celebrity Big Brother, in 2018.

Mr Wootton said in his statement: "The public should be aware that he [Brady] has no credibility to speak on behalf of Caroline."

However, he added: "I hope he gets the help he needs."

Brady appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2018

Laura Marshall, prosecuting, said other journalists were included in the defendant's messaging, including one who said Brady had demanded she pay him £40,000 for a "tell all" story about his former fiancée.

She said Brady also made numerous attempts to sell stories about himself.

Ms Marshall said one message Brady posted about Mr Wootton said: "Felt like getting rid of him once and for all."

A voice message left for Mr Wootton included comments like: "You are culpable for people's deaths" and "you are an evil man who needs to be dealt with".

Brady was arrested and bailed in February 2021 but continued his campaign against the journalist, the court was told.

When he was arrested again, in April 2021, Brady livestreamed the event on Instagram, saying: "You're going to have to put a bullet in my head."

Judge Richardson said he would not "sully" his sentencing remarks by repeating some of the "kaleidoscope of invective laced with high-octane expletives".

"Put simply, you must stop doing what you do," he said, adding if Brady resumed his campaign, he faced a prison sentence measured in years rather than months.