Louise Minchin: Man admits stalking BBC presenter

A man has pleaded guilty to stalking by sending intimidating comments to former BBC Breakfast presenter Louise Minchin and her adult daughter on Instagram.

Carl Davies, 44, was due to stand trial at Caernarfon Crown Court but changed his plea to both charges to guilty.

Davies, of Flint, admitted causing alarm or distress to both Louise and her daughter Mia in July 2020.

He has been ordered not to refer to the women on any social media site and will be sentenced on 15 December.

He was also ordered not to encourage any third party to refer to the women on social media, and not to contact the women directly or indirectly, or approach any BBC-owned or run premises, or any BBC film set or areas.

Davies was also told he must not enter the Cheshire village where Ms Minchin lives.

'Extremely alarming'

The messages sent to Louise Minchin and her daughter were "very intimidating", the judge said

Davies, of Queens Avenue, has previously been convicted and given a suspended sentence for stalking Girls Aloud singer Nicola Roberts.

Judge Nicola Saffman said: "This is a repeat offence and the content of messages which was sent was extremely alarming, very serious, very intimidating and clearly was intended to maximise the distress of the complainants in this case."

The court heard the offences took place between 14 and 17 July last year, during the operational period of his suspended sentence.

The court heard that Davies served in the armed forces in Iraq and had been living for many years with untreated post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Davies was previously convicted for stalking Girls Aloud singer Nicola Roberts

Duncan Bould, defending, said Davies, who attended court with his father, had continued to work in Iraq as a close protection officer after leaving the forces and had very little treatment for the condition.

Mr Bould said: "He has, it seems, heavily self-medicated, using largely alcohol as medication.

"It seems it is in that context these offences were committed."

Mr Bould said Davies had initially pleaded not guilty to the two offences of stalking, causing serious alarm or distress, because he could not recognise the behaviour and now believed it must have been done when he was heavily intoxicated.

Davies was released on bail pending a pre-sentence psychiatric report.

Judge Nicola Saffman told the court the most likely sentence was one of immediate imprisonment.