By
Nick Constable
18:16 EST, 16 June 2012
|
18:18 EST, 16 June 2012
A wealthy internet entrepreneur who suffered a terrifying three-year cyber-stalking attack – forcing him to flee his home for three months – has finally won a High Court order to stop the harassment after police refused to intervene.
Andie Steele-Smith discovered his online identity had been hijacked in an attempt to brand him a fraudster and destroy his businesses.
The sophisticated and sinister ‘troll’ campaign started in 2008 and was reported to police. They said there was not enough evidence to prosecute and advised Mr Steele-Smith, 44, married to Rachel, 37, to begin a civil action.
Andie and Rachel Steele-Smith won a High Court injunction against Jim Morrison at a cost of £150,000
After spending £150,000 on legal and internet professionals, he has obtained a High Court order against Jim Morrison, 62, a former employee at Direct Traffic Media.
Mr Morrison, whose work contract had been terminated by Mr Steele-Smith, is banned from ever contacting him or posting anything about him on the internet. He had targeted friends, suppliers and clients of Mr Steele-Smith, directing them to more than 100 websites he set up under his former employer’s name and containing a string of allegations.
Chillingly, one post revealed the type of shoes Mr Steele-Smith bought for a friend’s funeral. Another displayed the logo of toy shop Hamleys after he had taken his daughter there.
In the most frightening incident, Mr Steele-Smith claims a red laser pencil light – like those on rifle sights – appeared on his chest as he stood at the window of his £1.75million home near Bath.
‘To have someone invade your life via the internet is outrageous,’ said Mr Steele-Smith, who took his family to Northern Ireland for three months in a bid to escape the attacks. ‘I still don’t know how he did it. I changed passwords and service providers but he infiltrated every part of my life. They describe stalking as murder in slow motion and I was suffering a slow and painful death.’
Only when he sought a High Court injunction did the stalking end. Mr Morrison said last night: ‘There is a bigger story. I am not a cyber stalker.’
Wiltshire Police said they had made ‘extensive Inquiries’ but the Crown Prosecution Service had decided it did ‘not meet the threshold for criminal proceedings’.
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I am sure if the victim had been Tony Blair that no effort would have been spared by the police and cps and the offender would now be in prison.
Another chilling example of the two tier justice system that now exists in the UK.
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“the Crown Prosecution Service had decided it did ‘not meet the threshold for criminal proceedings’.”
Well obviously (to anyone other than in the justice system) it should. A man’s life should not be continually invaded and trashed and tortured this way.
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The DM’s anti-internet hate campaign continues.
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There must be something seriously wrong with this person to spend the amount of time it took to wage this campaign. I can just imagine he is some type of loner, no friends, not successful and socially inept – angry at the world. He probably thinks everything is someone else fault. The Internet gives him his only sense of power. Pathetic.
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Nice to see he was successful against this troll, but rather disappointed in you DM. You did not include the value of his house…………………………….standards, DM standards………………..lol
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The stalker said “There is a bigger story. I am not a cyber stalker.” Well sort it out legally then – not like a 12 year old boy.
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That’s the usual cop out, copper! No wonder our dear old plod get ridiculed so much. These days, unless you are a working, home owning car driver with a dodgy tail light, you get left alone.
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These stories are just the tip of the iceberg. It’s sad that the victim had to pay so much money to resolve the problem, putting it out of the reach of most people. These trolls do get a sick thrill from revealing details they’ve read from email accounts they’ve hacked or through other contact with the victim, even if they twist it around to misrepresent you.It makes pathetic people feel powerful. In most cases they are probably people that do see you in daily life, like neighbours, colleagues,’friends;, relatives including spouses and their friends or acquaintances.
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Thats not trolling. It’s harassment.
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Since then steel-smith has been arrested and is out on bail for stalking the head of a charity that deals with these issues he has sold his house .and is a proven fraud the daily mail paid out to Jim Morrison as is rRNA a story about this and is all turned in to lies agains steel smith . Has has several failed buisness attempts been banned from securities industry in oz . And lives off his wife’s trust fund !!
Andrew (Andie) Steele-smith was arrested on the 31st July 2014 for breach of the Prevention of Harassment Act Section 2 : Stalking
For further information you can contact Wiltshire Police qouting crime reference number:54140056814.
The above article is incorrect and untrue, the Mail on Sunday paid Mr Morrison substantial damages, an apology and retraction.