'Internet sex lies made my life hell'

By [epearson]

A man secretly filmed a neighbour before making a malicious video and posting it on the Internet, a court heard.

Graham Speed, described as the "modern equivalent of a poison pen letter writer", also alleged that a married gynaecologist had fathered a love child, Lincoln magistrates were told.

Speed (51) had been banned from the village of Harmston, near Lincoln, in February after a court heard about his behaviour and imposed an interim anti-social behaviour order.

District Judge Richard Blake yesterday began hearing evidence to decide whether to impose a full Asbo banning Speed from entering Harmston or contacting media organisations, including the Echo, with false or malicious allegations.

Speed, who now lives in Railway Park Close, off Boultham Park Road, Lincoln, did not attend court but denies the allegations.

His alleged victims told the hearing that their personal and professional lives had been made hell by unfounded and malicious allegations made by Speed.

RAF serviceman Ewan Stockbridge told the court that video footage of him had been posted on the Internet with the title Sex Pest Caught on CCTV.

His partner and his bosses at the RAF were then alerted to the footage, allegedly by Speed, and Mr Stockbridge said he had ended up spending three hours discussing the footage with his superiors.

Lincolnshire Police is applying for a full order which bans Speed from Harmston, forbids him to contact 17 named people, forbids him from contacting any media organisation with false or malicious allegations or posting false or malicious allegations on the Internet.

Gynaecologist Odiri Oteri told the court he had been reported to the General Medical Council over the false allegations.

Mr Oteri, who works at Lincoln County Hospital, said Speed sent anonymous faxes falsely alleging that he had fathered a love child.

He said the faxes caused severe difficulties with his marriage and his professional life.

The application would also ban him from photographing or filming, either overtly or covertly, any of the 17 individuals or inciting others to commit these acts.

Speed denies the allegations and the hearing continues.

For more on this hearing, see Tuesday's Echo.