Lecturer was ‘harassed with gifts and visits’

A KING’S College London lecturer was harassed by a graduate with unwanted gifts and visits, a court heard.

Stephanie Christol, 30, is also alleged to have pursued Dr Christopher Dillon, a lecturer in modern German history, on Facebook.

She has denied carrying out the campaign of harassment between April 1 2016 and Nov 16 last year.

Ms Christol, a King’s College London history graduate, sent emails to Dr Dillon which were of a “distressing content”, Westminster magistrates’ court heard.

On Sept 25, she was given a harassment warning letter, the charge sheet said. But Ms Christol is alleged to have continued sending harassing emails and letters to Dr Dillon. This carried on until Nov 16, when she visited Dr Dillon against his wishes, the court heard. During that meeting she “conducted a course of conduct” that distressed him, it is alleged.

Ms Christol, who studied her BA from 2011 to 2016, appeared in court charged with harassment without violence yesterday. She pleaded not guilty to the charge. A trial date was fixed for April 6 at Hendon magistrates’ court. Ms Christol, of Upper Holloway, north London, was granted conditional bail.

The offence carries a potential maximum six-month jail term or an unlimited fine.