‘Stalker flew from US to target Youtuber’

A MAN flew from Florida to the UK to stalk a Youtuber astrophysicist and sent his luggage to her workplace at Oxford University, a court has heard.

Augustine Lopez, 47, had never seen Dr Rebecca Smethurst – who has 700,000 Youtube subscribers – in person, but bombarded her with emails and asked her to “be his Valentine”, Oxford Crown Court heard.

He also brought a can of Mace pepper spray, a prohibited weapon, into the UK. The jury heard that Mr Lopez, of Melbourne, Florida, accepted bringing and possessing the spray but claimed it was an “oversight”.

The court heard that he sent messages to Dr Smethurst’s social media account and work email address, travelled to the UK, camped outside her workplace and tried to meet her there.

Kellie Enever, prosecuting, told the jury that Dr Smethurst works as a researcher at Oxford University’s astrophysics department.

Ms Enever told the court: “It is our case that Mr Lopez, who lives in Florida, flew to the UK, to London Heathrow, on Feb 13. Mr Lopez came to this country specifically with one sole purpose – to stalk Dr Rebecca Smethurst.

“The Crown says Mr Lopez flew to this country with no hotel reservation and he didn’t know a soul in this country. When he got to Heathrow, he sent his luggage to her [Dr Smethurst’s] workplace. Mr Lopez does not know her.”

She added: “He sent her unwanted messages, those being emails, Instagram and the like. Not only did he send his luggage to her workplace so he could try to collect it, he also stalked her outside her workplace.”

Mr Lopez denies counts of stalking causing serious alarm or distress and possession of a prohibited weapon. He was acquitted of one charge of dealing with goods with fraudulent intent.

The case continues.