Louise Minchin stalker: what happened to BBC presenter and daughter, who is Carl Davies, and what is sentence?

An ex-Army soldier who stalked BBC presenter Louise Minchin and her teenage daughter has been jailed.

Carl Davies, 44, was sentenced on 22 December after posting multiple “intimidating” messages to Louise’s and her teenage daughter Mia’s social media accounts in July.

So, who is Carl Davies - and how long has he been sentenced for?

What happened to the TV presenter and her daughter?

The messages from Davies “intended to maximise fear and distress” and were sent over four days between 14 and 17 July, 2020.

In one message to Louise, Davies wrote: “Move or you’re f****d”.

He also included their home address, the village they lived in, and the cars that were in their driveway at the time, Mold Crown Court heard.

Commenting on one of Louise’s photos he said: “You can see your garden from there”, showing he was aware of were they lived.

‘Harrowing experience’

The presenter and her daughter said the stalking had a “horrific, devastating, and lasting impact” and still suffered from a “sense of deep distress” more than a year on, the judge was told.

In a victim impact statement, Louise said: “We are both still traumatised by what has been a harrowing experience.”

Prosecutor Brian Treadwell said: “The family do not feel safe and perhaps never will.”

What did Louise Minchin say after the court hearing?

In a statement, she said: “The sentencing today of a man who made horrific threats online against my daughter and I, marks the end of what has been a very distressing time for both of us.

“I would like to thank North Wales Police and The Crown Prosecution Service for their hard work and for successfully investigating and prosecuting the case.

“I hope it sends a clear message that people who make violent threats on social media can be found, can be prosecuted and can expect a prison sentence.”

Who is Carl Davies? 

Duncan Bould, mitigating for Davies, said he sustained PTSD while serving with the armed forces in Iraq.

He said Davies, who attended court with his father, had never received treatment for the condition – being partly diagnosed in 2017 - but only having his condition fully recognised during a psychiatric examination to assist with the sentencing.

Davies, of Flint, North Wales, had previously been convicted in 2017 of stalking another woman and for biting his father on the arm in 2019, the court heard.

How long is Davies’ sentence? 

Davies was due to face trial at Caernarfon Crown Court on 21 December for two counts of stalking the presenter and her daughter but changed his pleas to guilty before a jury was sworn in.

Passing the sentence, judge Nicola Saffman handed Davies a prison sentence of two years and eight months and an indefinite restraining order.

She said: “Clearly they would have been terrified by that, especially because it’s clear you knew where they lived and knew the details of cars that were on their drive.

“As a result they are both now hyper-vigilant, they still have a sense of deep distress one year on and the family still don’t feel safe.”

She added: “I accept that you are remorseful for what you have done.

“I have also taken into account your PTSD which is significant and has never been treated and which was incurred and suffered as a result of you serving your country at war in the parachute regiment.”

Addressing probation service staff, she said: “There should be made to Mr Davis upon his release on licence psychiatric and psychological assistance and input, not just signposting.”

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