Chris Packham, who is currently filming for the new season of BBC’s Winterwatch, has been assigned a bodyguard due to “specific threats” made against him.
The speaker has been consistently subjected to mistreatment in the past few years, including a 2011 incident where his home was set on fire.
In an interview with the Daily Mirror, Packham stated that he has received direct threats before the Watches. To ensure his safety, he has had a bodyguard stay with him at the hotel and accompany him during and after filming.
Packham stated that he was recently subjected to two threats within the last month. He also informed that he had reported the latest threats to the authorities. He further shared that there have been multiple threats recently that were not specifically death threats, but rather expressed intent to harm him and his family.
“The source of these emails is quite surprising. We have the sender’s email address and I have already notified the police. Although I have not received a response from them yet, they have confirmed that they have received the emails.”
In 2011, Packham reported that individuals intentionally started a fire on his car and destroyed the gate to his property, which was captured on his CCTV cameras. The perpetrators have not been identified. In 2022, Hampshire constabulary made a renewed request for any helpful information.
In regards to the fire attack, he mentioned that they have a general idea of who the culprits may be, but not a specific person. He explained that in some cases, it can take a few years for criminals to turn on each other and reveal the truth. These individuals are known for their repeated involvement in illegal activities.
The authorities labeled them as seasoned offenders and speculated that they were hired for the task. They were not local and had traveled from a distant location.
In 2019, Packham disclosed that he and his family were targeted with death threats shortly after deceased crows were hung outside their residence following a dispute over shooting birds.
During a libel trial last year, the individual expressed concern about the possibility of a violent individual fueled by hate targeting and harming them. The trial was prompted by a magazine’s publication of untrue allegations that the individual had deceived and manipulated individuals into donating to a tiger rescue charity, despite knowing that the animals were being properly cared for. As a result, the individual was granted £90,000 in compensation.
Source: theguardian.com
