The BBC is facing fresh calls to sack a radio presenter who said “women should keep their knickers on” to avoid being raped after it emerged that he threatened to take legal action against a campaigner who called for his dismissal.
Nick Conrad, a BBC Radio Norfolk talk show host, was forced to apologise last month after making offensive remarks during a debate about the rapist footballer Ched Evans.
It has since emerged that Conrad, 29, pressured a woman to take down her petition calling for him to be sacked and threatened to report her to the police for “inciting violence against my family”.
In one message sent to campaigner Kirsty Strickland on Facebook, Conrad said: “We have reviewed your tweets and you’re inciting violence against me and my family. Including rape and pedophilia [sic].
“Under Section 59 of the Serious Crime Act 2007 ‘incitement’. We will refer this matter on to Strathclyde police - it is for them to investigate your activity further.”
Conrad then warned Strickland, a businesswoman, that he was meeting BBC bosses to discuss further action if she did not remove her petition on the site Change.org, and advised her to seek independent legal advice.
He also claimed the BBC had been monitoring her internet activity.
A BBC spokeswoman said the corporation was not aware of Conrad’s messages until they were published by the Independent. She declined to say whether the presenter would face disciplinary proceedings, including dismissal.
The BBC said: “We’ve spoken to Nick about these messages and reminded him of his responsibilities as a presenter.”
Conrad was forced to apologise last month after he suggested women in some circumstances were partially responsible for being sexually assaulted and said: “It’s the old adage about if you yank a dog’s tail don’t be surprised if it bites you.”
On Monday the media regulator Ofcom said it was investigating Conrad’s remarks after receiving nearly 50 complaints.
In Facebook messages to Strickland, he apologised again and sought to explain his remarks.
He said: “In conclusion, I won’t resign or be sacked. What I was trying to say was right – the way I said it was wrong. For that I apologise. I will learn and move on from this but I promise you that I’ll keep talking about rape and encouraging victims to come on my show.
“My only motivation is to highlight the destruction of this crime and promote safe sex.”
However, in a later message Conrad referred Strickland to “new trolling legislation” over her “pretty offensive” tweets. When she asked him to send her links to the offensive tweets, he said they were too numerous but added: “It might not be that you personally have written the offensive remarks but the persistent personal tweets, and the Change.org campaign could be viewed as harassment.”
When contacted by the Guardian, Police Scotland said it was not possible to see whether Conrad had filed an official complaint against Strickland.
