Post by : Roman
D Marks
Paul Keevil, a 56-year-old chess master from the UK, has been given a 28-month prison sentence for various crimes, including stalking, harassment, and blackmail against a woman in her 20s. After a brief sexual relationship, Keevil resorted to threats and harassment when she declined to reignite their relationship in 2021.
The court was informed that Keevil initially encountered the university student in 2018 through Seeking Arrangements. Following their short-lived relationship, he continued to send her money. However, when she began a new relationship and fell pregnant, Keevil attempted to blackmail her by claiming she was a sex worker, spreading false messages to her family, university, and employer, and even contacting the hospital maternity ward while pretending to be the father of her baby.
Prosecutor Tom Farr stated, “They kept in touch from 2019, and the defendant occasionally provided financial support to her. After she rejected further contact in 2021, Keevil embarked on a persistent campaign of harassment, stalking, and blackmail.”
The victim voiced her feelings of suicidal despair and insecurity, expressing, “He firmly believes that I am his girlfriend regardless of how many times I say ‘No’. I am afraid for my safety and my baby’s well-being.” The unyielding harassment led her partner to leave, causing her ongoing anxiety.
During the proceedings at Bolton Crown Court, Judge Mr Recorder Jeremy Lasker remarked that Keevil had subjected the victim to a “sustained course of conduct” designed to coerce her into resuming an intimate relationship while demanding the return of past gifts. He underscored that Keevil's obsessive actions had driven the victim to contemplate suicide.
Keevil pleaded guilty to charges of stalking, sexual assault, and blackmail and will be registered as a sex offender for the next decade.
This case illustrates the severe repercussions of stalking, harassment, and blackmail, particularly when wielded as a tool for manipulation and intimidation.
English
