Actor and sister receive suspended jail term after stalker convicted of racially aggravated harassment
Scottish actress Eubha Akilade and her sister Eilidh were stalked with racist and sexualised messages by Gary Summers, who was sentenced to a suspended 30-month term and fined.
Eubha Akilade, known for roles in a journalist at one outlet and other series, and her sister Eilidh, a Glasgow-based writer, were subjected to a campaign of racist and sexualised harassment by 57-year-old Gary Summers. The abuse included emails that demeaned Akilade’s mixed-race identity and a parcel containing a T-shirt with a political slogan. CCTV footage connected Summers to the parcel’s delivery, leading to his arrest.
He pleaded guilty to two counts of racially aggravated stalking that caused serious alarm between January 2024 and October 2023. In Ipswich Crown Court, Recorder Jeremy Benson KC described the messages as "disgusting" and sentenced Summers to a 30-month term suspended for two years, imposed a £2,500 fine, ordered £1,000 in costs, and prohibited any further contact with the sisters. Akilade and Eilidh both gave victim impact statements, saying the stalking eroded their self-esteem and forced them to limit their public and online activities.
Why it matters
The case highlights the severe impact of online hate and stalking on public figures and underscores legal consequences for racially motivated harassment.
In this story
