A pensioner has admitted stalking TV news anchor Cathy Newman over a two-year period by sending her 'explicit sexual remarks' and underwear.
Christopher McKeever, 76, wrote 'unwanted letters' to Ms Newman which contained lewd language, while also sending 'gifts' of 'multi-pack of white briefs' and flowers.
Representing himself at Colchester Magistrates Court, he accepted he had continued sending mail and gifts despite repeated warnings from Ms Newman's then-employer, ITN, which produces Channel 4 News.
The exact wording of the letters was not read out.
McKeever's obsession with Ms Newman, 52 - who now hosts a nightly politics show on Sky News - took place between 3rd July 2024 and 12th April 2026.
ITN's legal team sent a 'cease and desist letter' to him on 8th April 2025 and then another letter calling on him to stop on 6th November 2025.
Christopher McKeever, 76, wrote 'unwanted letters' to Ms Newman which contained lewd language, while also sending 'gifts' of 'multi-pack of white briefs' and flowers
The defendant had 'pursued a course of conduct' which amounted to the stalking of the journalist and had sent the gifts 'which you knew or ought to have known amounted to the harassment of her', according to the prosecution.
He pleaded guilty to a single charge of stalking without fear, alarm or distress in Essex, which carries a maximum 51-week jail term and unlimited fine.
Prosecutor Natalie Roberts told the court: 'Mr McKeever has two convictions for alike offence from January 2014 and January 2016.'
The case was adjourned to allow a pre-sentence report to be written and for Ms Newman to prepare a victim impact statement.
McKeever, of Colchester, was told that he was banned from contacting Ms Newman 'in any form whatsoever' under his bail conditions.
He fidgeted and appeared angry at times during the hearing, which only lasted a few minutes and was his first appearance for the matter.
Cathy Newman, who left Channel 4 News to present a politics programme for Sky News earlier this year, has been the victim of stalkers previously
Towards the conclusion, he stood and demanded 'Is this the end of the matter now?' before asking for the sentencing date to be written down.
He was told that he would next appear at the court on 25 January 2027.
McKeever declined to comment after the hearing. Ms Newman was not in court for his guilty plea.
In 2018, Ms Newman was bombarded with death threats and misogynistic abuse after an interview with psychologist Jordan Peterson on Channel 4 News.
A man was also ordered not to go within 50 metres of her and the ITN building back in 2014, after allegedly sending her 100,000 tweets and attempting to kiss her.
Ms Newman left Channel 4 News after two decades earlier this year to host her own nightly politics show on Sky News. She also presents a weekly show on Times Radio.
Last year, she was named 'Journalist of the Year' at the Royal Television Society Journalism Awards for her coverage of the Church of England abuse scandal, which triggered the historic resignation of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.
Source link
