A man who objected to comments by Katie Hopkins on gay and transgender people launched a blackmail campaign against venues that had booked her to appear, a jury has heard.
Oliver Hutchings, 31, told venues in Hampshire and Lancashire that he would make sure the media personality and commenter’s shows were disrupted, and would campaign against the theatres to try to shut them down if they did not cancel her appearances, the court heard.
The Attic in Southampton and the Joe Longthorne Theatre in Blackpool cancelled planned Hopkins shows after allegedly receiving calls, emails and Facebook messages from Hutchings.
He is said to have told the theatres he would have people in the venues shouting, whistling and letting off party poppers to disrupt her shows.
Hutchings allegedly also told the venues that he had reported them for watering down their drinks and for not having properly carried out background checks on staff.
He told one of the theatres that he was proud to have used similar tactics against other venues in the past that had booked the comedian Jim Davidson.
As a gay man, he claimed to represent the LGBT community in his actions, Southampton crown court heard.
He also had a grandfather with dementia and was raised by a single mother, and took offence to comments Hopkins had made about dementia patients and stay-at-home mothers, jurors were told.
Hutchings, from Southampton, Hampshire, denies four counts of blackmail and an alternative charge of causing a public nuisance.
Simon Jones, prosecuting, said: “Katie Hopkins is a well-known TV personality. In 2022-23 she had a comedy and talking show that was touring.
“The venues received threats in this time that their business would be disrupted. This was done over Facebook, emails and the telephone.
“He claimed he spoke on behalf of the LGBT community. His motive for the actions was that Katie Hopkins had said things that were prejudicial to these groups of people. He effectively launched a campaign to cancel Katie Hopkins and stop her from having any speaking platform.”
Jones continued: “Whatever his views may be on Katie Hopkins, the fact remains that she was booked by these venues. There was a demand to see her and it is quite clear that [Hutchings] didn’t want her to perform. It shows him going to extreme lengths to make menacing demands. The venues did cancel.”
The prosecutor said Hutchings had told the venues: “If you think I will give up, you are very, very wrong. I will not stop until the evening is cancelled or your business is shut down.”
Hutchings also allegedly warned: “I will flyer outside your business, I will continue to post about your business in online groups – I swear that on my family’s life.”
The prosecutor added: “He could have done what so many others did and just not gone. It is not for Mr Hutchings to cancel anyone or to protect anyone. He has crossed a line. He embarked on a highly focused campaign to stop her performance. He is clever and we say he knew what he was doing.”
Defending, Audrey Archer said that Hutchings assumed the theatres did not know about Hopkins’s views and that he was attempting to spare them reputational damage by informing them.
Hopkins told the jury on Tuesday that Hutchings’s alleged actions had cost her an estimated £265,000. She said she had been due to appear at 30 venues but it dropped to five because places started cancelling “like dominoes” after what Hutchings was said to have done.
She said: “People think that it’s like water off a duck’s back – that I have the skin of a rhino. But it’s not true. When you read ‘Katie Hopkins is a whatever’, it does hurt. You’re not up on stage in make-up and sequins and the things that make you feel brave. You’re reading them back at home with the children and dogs and husband.”
Hopkins said people had told her they had stayed away from her appearances because they were frightened.
She told the jury: “I appreciate that I’ve brought it upon myself doing what I do and being outspoken. But my family didn’t ask for this and my audience didn’t ask for this. Once one venue cancels the others do in quick succession. It’s like dominoes.
“Not all the venues were big, we were going to go in a room above an underwear shop and in a farmhouse. The show is to laugh about myself, to make fun of myself.
“You may not agree with my views, and the venues don’t necessarily have to agree with my views to book me.”
The week-long trial continues.
