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Timothy O'Brien jailed after sending sex messages to New Forest-based BBC South weather presenter Alexis Green




A BBC weather presenter who lives in the New Forest said she had to take time off screen because an obsessed fan left her feeling physically sick, as he was jailed for bombarding her with sexual messages.

Avionics engineer Timothy O'Brien became infatuated with BBC South's Alexis Green, sending her more than 100 messages to tell her she had "nice legs" and he liked it when she wore "a sexy little dress", a court heard.

The former company director also bombarded her with videos and pictures of himself and detailed his sexual fantasies.

Alexis Green outside Southampton Magistrates' Court (picture: Solent News & Photo Agency)
Alexis Green outside Southampton Magistrates' Court (picture: Solent News & Photo Agency)

Ms Green told the hearing his unwanted advances left her feeling "physically sick" doing her job, knowing the 55-year-old father-of-four could be watching her on TV.

The emotional presenter said the "repeated" harassment had made her feel less confident in "every aspect" of her life and resulted in her taking time off work.

O'Brien sent Ms Green a total of 115 messages, 33 videos and 13 photos.

At Southampton Magistrates' Court, he was jailed for 17 weeks, handed a restraining order and told not to attend her place of work at BBC South in the city.

Prosecuting, Bethany Adams told the court: "The victim doesn't know the defendant.

"Between 18 December last year and 24 January this year, the defendant repeatedly contacted Ms Green via Facebook messenger.

"The content of those messages and videos are rather unpleasant."

Ms Adams described the content of some of the videos and messages to "get a flavour".

In the videos, the court heard O'Brien telling Ms Green he wanted to "feel her".

Ms Adams continued: "He asks Ms Green if she likes his body and said "if you like I will send a picture of my [penis]. If you don't block me I will take that as a yes", accompanied by emojis with love eyes and tongue out."

O'Brien also sent messages to Ms Green, saying he wanted to have sex with her, and she had "nice legs, so should be on the news more often".

Ms Adams told the court O'Brien messaged saying his "favourite" was when she wore a "sexy little dress".

"From these, you can understand the kind of messages she has received," she continued.

Reading her victim statement to the court from behind a screen so she need not see O'Brien, Ms Green said the ordeal had even led her to consider quitting the work she loved.

"I'm simply trying to do a job. I'm not interested in the sick advances he showed," she said.

"I have even questioned whether my job is worth feeling like this.

"I shouldn't have to feel that way about a job I really love."

Ms Green, who lives in the New Forest with her partner and child, added: "I feel I'm constantly looking over my shoulder.

"I have had to have time off work.

"I have always been a keen runner but I find myself thinking Mr O'Brien is lurking behind me.

"I'm in a constant state of alert."

She told the court of a recent example of being made "extremely anxious" when an unknown man got into a lift with her, as she was scared it was him.

A BBC publicity shot of Alexis Green (picture: BBC)
A BBC publicity shot of Alexis Green (picture: BBC)

"I feel physically sick presenting the weather, knowing the defendant could be watching," she continued.

"It has made me feel less confident in every aspect of my life.

"I can't remember feeling such a dark time in my life."

She told the court she had been left feeling "extremely anxious" not knowing whether O'Brien, of Athelstan Road in Bournemouth, was still in custody after his arrest in January this year and the ordeal had affected her private life.

"And all this because of one man's actions and obsessions," she added.

"No one should have to tolerate this.

"People like Mr O'Brien need to be stopped."

Ms Green, who was born in Winchester, attended Cardiff University to study Sports Science, before moving to London and eventually becoming a runner on on a CCB series called 'Serious Arctic'.

From there she became a studio floor manager for Channel Five and Four News, was a Traffic and Travel presenter GMTV/ITV London before landing her gig presenting weather forecasts on South Today and BBC Local Radio across the south.

Speaking about the reoffending chances of O'Brien, who wept while she spoke of the impact it had on her, she said: "I'm on the TV – he will always be able to see me.

"When will his obsession end?"

O’Brien was the director and avionic engineer at Chaouchi Ltd from 2011 until it dissolved in November 2019.

He worked as an avionics engineer for MiniLiner Airways at Bergamo Airport, Italy, in 2012.

After initially being arrested on suspicion of stalking in January this year, he admitted an alternate charge of harassment without violence.

In mitigation, Mark Hensleigh told the court O'Brien had previously had a "successful career" before "something went wrong", leading to him separating from his wife.

Mr Hensleigh said: "No one really knows what has gone wrong but he gets fixated with people.

"My client thought because she was in the public domain, the messages would be blocked but they weren't, for whatever reason.

"He accepts what he did was wrong and he apologises to the victim through me.

"The messages were over a short period of time but my client accepts they were entirely inappropriate."

He told the court the videos had happened when O'Brien, who has previous convictions of stalking and breaches of the resultant restraining order, was "in drink".

Addressing O'Brien, Fiona Chalkley sentenced him to 17 weeks' imprisonment and gave him a restraining order of "indefinite" length for any contact with Ms Green.

He was also ordered not to attend her place of work at BBC South and told to pay court costs totalling £154.



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