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Daily Record
Daily Record
Entertainment
Kirsten McStay & Sara-Aisha Kent

Caroline Flack's ex-fiancé Andrew Brady pleads guilty to harassing journalist Dan Wootton

Caroline Flack 's ex-fiancé Andrew Brady has pleaded guilty to harassment after he accused a journalist of being a murderer and a sex offender, a court has heard.

The former Apprentice star pleaded guilty to harassing a journalist at Sheffield Crown Court yesterday, writes The Mirror.

The 31-year-old is currently being held on remand ahead of sentencing on Friday.

Andrew - who was briefly engaged to the late Caroline Flack - had been set to stand trial in June over more serious allegations of putting Dan Wootton, the former executive editor of The Sun newspaper, in fear of violence.

But yesterday prosecutors accepted his guilty pleas to the alternative count of harassment during a brief hearing.

The court heard how The Celebrity Big Brother star used social media to send threats and abuse to Mr Wootton, who now works for GB News.

Brady accused him of being a sex offender and murderer and said he had evidence of this, it was heard.

Andrew Brady appeared at Sheffield Crown Court today (mirror.co.uk)

He was also accused of inviting his social media followers to assist in his 'crusade' and said in an Instagram post he 'felt like getting rid of Mr Wootton once and for all'.

Brady admitted saying that 'matters should be settled by violence' and sending voice notes to Mr Wootton threatening to use violence when police were not around.

The court heard Brady 'stated his intention to end Mr Wootton's career'.

His Honour Judge Jeremy Richardson QC, The Recorder of Sheffield, told him: “I am pleased that this case has at last been resolved. You will be sentenced on Friday.

“The desire for everybody in this case – including myself – is for you to stop doing what you did.

“You must move on with your life, it is to be hoped to sunnier uplands.

“I will hear the opening on Friday and I will hear your defence then you will be sentenced.

“You will remain in custody and you will appear before me in person on Friday.”

During a previous hearing, in May 2021, Prosecutor Laura Marshall said the defendant had started harassing Mr Wootton - who has since left The Sun for GB News - around the anniversary of Caroline Flack's death.

Brady's ex Caroline Flack was tragically found dead in her home in North East London on February 15, 2020, after taking her own life.

She said Mr Brady had added Mr Wootton to a WhatsApp group along with other journalists and his own sister, who is a serving South Yorkshire Police officer and is a prosecution witness.

Ms Marshall said Brady had also set up social media pages in memory of his ex and had staged a protest outside Sheffield Town Hall.

Mr Brady, of Sheffield, was arrested on April 28.

At the same hearing, Andrew pleaded not guilty to one count of harassment causing fear of violence.

Brady's barrister James Gould in the April hearing said the issue in the trial will be 'freedom of expression against a public figure who was very keen to put private matters in the public domain', adding: "[Brady] does not accept [Mr Wootton] was caused fear, given his public role and the journalist he is."

Brady rose to fame when he appeared on BBC show The Apprentice in 2017.

The following year, Andrew was a housemate on Celebrity Big Brother during the reality show's Year of the Woman series.

Andrew was briefly engaged to telly star Caroline in 2018.

In December 2019 she left her role presenting Love Island after being arrested for allegedly assaulting her boyfriend, the tennis player Lewis Burton.

The 40-year-old was found dead in her home in North East London on February 15, 2020, after taking her own life.

Two days after the star's tragic passing, Andrew penned an emotional statement on social media.

*If you are struggling with mental health, you can speak to a trained advisor from Mind mental health charity on 0300 123 3393 or email info@mind.org.uk

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