Obsessed fan, 55, jailed after forcing the BBC weather presenter to go off air by bombarding her with sex messages

A convicted stalker has been sentenced to 17 weeks in prison after bombarding a BBC weather presenter with over 100 sexually explicit messages in a month-long campaign of harassment.

Avionics engineer Timothy O’Brien, 55, became obsessed with BBC South’s Alexis Green, sending messages to tell her she had “nice legs” and he liked it when she wore “a sexy little dress”, eh a court heard.

The former CEO also flooded her with videos and pictures of himself detailing his sexual fantasies.

Ms Green told the hearing his unwanted advances at her job made her feel “physically ill” knowing the father-of-four might see her on TV.

The presenter got emotional as she described how the “repeated” harassment had made her feel less secure in “every aspect” of her life and prompted her to take time off work.

Avionics engineer Timothy O’Brien, 55, became obsessed with BBC South’s Alexis Green (pictured) and bombarded her with over 100 messages

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

When O’Brien appeared in Southampton Magistrates’ Court for sentencing, she was also given a restraining order and ordered not to attend her place of work at BBC South in the city.

Accusingly, Bethany Adams told the court, “The victim doesn’t know the defendant.

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

“The content of these messages and videos is quite uncomfortable.”

Ms Adams described the content of some of the videos and messages to “get a taste”.

In the videos, the court heard O’Brien tell Ms Green he wanted to “feel” her and brag about the size of his penis.

Ms Adams continued: “He asks Ms Green if she likes his body and said: ‘If you want I’ll send you a picture of my cock. If you don’t block me, I’ll take that as a yes,” accompanied by love eyes and tongue out emojis.”

O’Brien also sent messages to Ms Green saying he wanted to have sex with her and that she had “nice legs so should be in the news more often”.

Ms Adams told the court O’Brien sent a message saying his “favorite” was when she was wearing a “sexy little dress”.

Weather presenter Alexis Green said the harassment prompted her to consider quitting the job she loved. “I’m just trying to get a job. I wasn’t interested in the sick advances he was showing.

“From this you can understand the type of messages she received,” she continued.

Reading her victim’s testimony in court from behind a screen, Ms Green said the ordeal prompted her to consider quitting the job she loved.

“I’m just trying to get a job. I wasn’t interested in the sick advances he was showing,” she said.

“I even wondered if my job was worth feeling this way. I shouldn’t have to think that way about a job I really love.

Ms Green, who lives in Hampshire’s New Forest with her partner and child, added: “I feel like I’m looking over my shoulder all the time.

“I had to take time off from work. I’ve always been an avid runner, but I think Mr. O’Brien is lurking behind me. I’m always on alert.’

She told the court of a recent instance where she became “extremely anxious” when an unidentified man got into an elevator with her, afraid it was him.

“I feel physically ill presenting the weather because I know the defendant could be watching,” she continued.

“It has made me feel less secure in every aspect of my life. I can’t remember having experienced such a dark time in my life.”

She described feeling “extremely concerned” not knowing if O’Brien, from Bournemouth, Dorset, was still in custody following his arrest in January this year and the ordeal had affected her personal life.

“And all because of the actions and obsessions of one man,” she added.

Ms Green, who was born in Winchester, Hants, attended Cardiff University to study sport before moving to London and eventually finishing runner-up in a CBBC series called Serious Arctic.

From there she became studio manager for Channel Five and Four News, was a transport and travel presenter for GMTV/ITV London before landing her gig to present weather forecasts on South Today and BBC Local Radio in the South.

O’Brien was Director and Avionics Engineer at Chaouchi Ltd from 2011 until its dissolution in November 2019.

In 2012 he also worked as an avionics engineer for Miniliner Airways at Bergamo Airport, Italy.

After initially being arrested on suspicion of stalking in January this year, he admitted to an alternative charge of non-violent harassment.

In mitigation, Mark Hensleigh told the court O’Brien previously had a “successful career” before “something went wrong,” which led to his split from his wife.

Mr Hensleigh said: “No one really knows what went wrong but he is fixated on people.

“My client thought that because she was in the public domain, the messages would be blocked, but for some reason that wasn’t the case.

“He accepts that what he did was wrong and he apologizes to the victim through me.

“The messages were over a short period of time but my client accepts that they were totally inappropriate.”

He told the court the videos were made when O’Brien, who was convicted of stalking and violating the resulting restraining order, was “intoxicated.”

Fiona Chalkley contacted O’Brien and sentenced him to 17 weeks in prison and an “indefinite” restraining order for any contact with Ms Green.

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

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