Three men have failed in their attempt to overturn convictions for harassing journalist Catrin Nye, who presented the documentary and podcast series A Very British Cult. The appeal was rejected at Snaresbrook Crown Court, with the judge finding that their conduct toward the journalist constituted bullying and oppressive behaviour that went well beyond the bounds of lawful protest or citizen journalism.
Kristofer Deichler, aged 47, Jatinder Kamra, aged 46, and Sukhraj Singh were originally found guilty in February of harassment following two visits to Nye's home address. During the first visit on 29 August 2024, the men attended her residence as a group, and they returned again on 5 September 2024 with all three present. At the time of these visits, Nye was living at the property with her partner and children.
Judge Pounder, presiding over the appeal, acknowledged the distress caused to the journalist.
We accept she was terrified by the unexpected attendanceat her home, the judge stated, emphasising that
there was heightened concern as her children were also home.
All three men are affiliated with Lighthouse, an organisation that became the subject of investigation in the 2023 documentary and podcast series fronted by Nye. According to Lighthouse's own statement, the guilty verdict was delivered at Stratford Magistrates' Court following a trial that extended over six months.
The original sentences imposed in February included 200 hours of community service for each man, along with restraining orders prohibiting contact with or approach to Nye or her partner for a period of ten years. The men were also barred from entering the London borough where the couple reside for the same duration. Following the appeal rejection, the judge has now ordered each of the three men to pay an additional £1,000.
How did the harassment campaign develop?
The conflict between the men and Nye emerged approximately one year after the initial broadcast of the documentary and podcast about Lighthouse. The group initiated what they characterised as peaceful and lawful protests outside offices of the national broadcaster in London, directing their objections toward both Nye and the organisation itself.
Following an interaction with Nye in July 2024, Kamra gave evidence that he remained dissatisfied and felt his questions for the journalist had gone unanswered. This prompted the decision to visit her home address. The men obtained her residential location through a private investigator and stated they had consulted guidance on doorstepping procedures before proceeding with their visits.
Judge Pounder observed that
the appellants therefore appreciated that there was a line which their conduct must not cross.However, he concluded that
what happened descended into bullying and oppressive conduct,finding their behaviour to be unreasonable and disproportionate.
What was the nature of the conduct at her home?
During the first visit on 29 August, the group distributed printed leaflets to Nye's neighbours. The judge found the contents of these materials particularly troubling, as they extended beyond simple criticism of journalism. The leaflets identified Nye to residents in her immediate neighbourhood and associated her with serious allegations concerning racism, dishonesty and the concealment of child sexual abuse by family members.
Judge Pounder emphasised the significance of this distinction:
That is materially different from distributing critical literature outside the headquarters of a public broadcaster.
The situation escalated when Kamra later returned to the property to post a handwritten letter stating
we will be back,which the judge determined
materially reinforcedNye's concerns about her safety. The three men returned to her address a week later, on 5 September, before being subsequently arrested.
How did Nye respond to the visits?
Giving evidence for the second time, testifying from behind a curtain for her own protection, Nye described the experience as
extremelydistressing. The impact on her life was substantial: she installed CCTV systems, panic alarms and direct telephone lines to police at her residence, and began carrying rape alarms for personal protection.
The security measures undertaken by Nye underscore the genuine fear and vulnerability she experienced as a result of the men's actions, demonstrating consequences that extended far beyond the initial visits to her home.
What defence did the men present?
The three men maintained throughout proceedings that they were engaged in citizen journalism and were present at Nye's property to conduct a doorstep interview as part of their own documentary project, acting in what they believed to be the public interest. Judge Pounder acknowledged that the men genuinely perceived themselves as citizen journalists, but rejected the notion that their conduct was reasonable or justified.
The judge pointed to the deliberate nature of their actions:
deliberate acquisition of a private address, attendance of home, distribution of inflammatory literature, indication return visit and subsequent return.This pattern of behaviour, he concluded, demonstrated a calculated escalation rather than spontaneous protest activity.
The men also claimed their attendance outside Nye's home represented an expression of their religious beliefs. While the judge accepted that their views were
sincerely held,he determined that a prayer they recited outside her door was merely
an incidental part of their attendance at the address.He further noted that a Bible they wished to give her could have been posted to her through the broadcaster's offices rather than delivered in person at her private residence.
What happens next?
According to Lighthouse's public statement, the three men
fully intend to appealtheir conviction in the Crown Court, with the organisation describing the case as remaining active. However, no date has been announced for any further appeal proceedings at this stage.
The case forms part of a broader pattern of legal disputes involving online harassment and restraining orders. The original 2023 investigation into Lighthouse by the broadcaster sparked the conflict that ultimately led to these criminal charges and convictions.
Key Facts
- Kristofer Deichler, Jatinder Kamra and Sukhraj Singh lost their appeal against harassment convictions at Snaresbrook Crown Court
- The men visited journalist Catrin Nye's home on 29 August and 5 September 2024, distributing leaflets to neighbours that made serious allegations against her
- Each man was originally sentenced to 200 hours of community service and given ten-year restraining orders; they must now each pay an additional £1,000
- All three men are members of Lighthouse, the organisation investigated in Nye's 2023 documentary and podcast series
- Lighthouse has stated the men intend to pursue a further appeal in the Crown Court, though no date has been set
