A STALKER who followed an influencer to Bali with a rope in a plot to kidnap after hounding her with sexual messages has been sentenced.
Robert Keating, 39, sent “incessant” emails and video messages to Alexandra Saper, 33, including a photo of a body in a suitcase.
Alexandra Saper received incessant and constant messages from Rob Keating Credit: Facebook
Keating said he would do whatever it takes for them to end up together Credit: Refer to Caption
The brit then booked a one-way ticket to and told the travel blogger: “Flights booked baby girl”.
When he landed he added: “You’re never getting rid of me”.
He was sentenced today at Crown Court to a hospital order.
Psychiatrist Daron Aslanyan told the hearing that he had diagnosed Keating as having a delusional disorder as he suffered “grandiose delusions about being able to change the world, which was a contributing factor to his offending”.
The travel influencer was followed to Bali Credit: Refer to Caption
Keating thought the blogger was sending messages to him through her postsCredit: Refer to Source
He added: “Because he was isolated he was looking for someone who would fit his world view with this person being able to change the world through social media or otherwise.”
He said: “My over-riding concern is to protect the general public, and Alexandra Saper in particular, from any future harm.”
Former lawyer Alexandra, who now earns a living from her page ‘The Wayfaress’ which has over 100,000 followers, said she was forced to flee the country in fear.
Keating was handed an interim hospital order after he was found guilty of two stalking offences.
The blogger said she stopped leaving the house after her ordeal Credit: Facebook
Keating was arrested on his arrival back to the UK in March 2023 where police found “black rope” in his suitcase Credit: Refer to Caption
Judge Michael Bowes KC imposed the order to allow for further psychiatric assessment before his sentencing.
The court heard the creep first got in touch with Alexandra in 2022 by sending her a “weird and creepy” message on Instagram.
She replied asking “Dude, why are you following me if you don’t like my content” before blocking him.
But Keating, who was living in his sister’s garage at the time, found her business email and began bombarding her.
The messages turned “intense” and “sexual in nature” later in 2022.
In September that year, Keating described having sex with Alexandra “to some length” in a video of himself talking to the camera.
Prosecutor Alexandra Bull said: “He was speaking to her as though they were in a relationship, like he was in love with her and she with him.”
In one email, Keating said he loved her and would do “whatever it takes” to be together.
He added: “If that involves kidnapping then so be it.”
In January 2023, Keating said he would quit his traffic job and “come and find her” in Bali.
At this point, he had sent her around 30 videos of himself talking to the camera alongside “hundreds” of emails.
Alexandra said she saw pictures on Keating’s Instagram page that showed he had visited one of her regular bars in Bali.
Recalling the alleged ordeal, she added: “He sent me a photo of a body in a suitcase and said he was going to kidnap me.”
Alexandra reported him to the in Bali, and spoke to the US and the UK embassies in the country.
Keating was arrested on his arrival back to the UK in March 2023 where police found “black rope” in his suitcase.
In her evidence, Alexandra said he thought she was sending him secret messages through her Instagram posts.
She added: “His interpretation of these posts was that they were secret coded messages about my love for him, or me asking him to come to Bali because I wanted to see him,” she said.
“He was convinced that I had asked him to come to Bali.”
Alexandra said she stopped posting on Instagram and had to cancel work projects as a result.
She also told the court she became “depressed” and stopped leaving the house because of Keating’s actions.
In his police interview, Keating claimed he was not sexually attracted to the influencer but accused her of showing an “interest” in him.
But after he returned to the UK, Keating continued the campaign – posting a picture of a plane ticket from to Bali with the caption “round 2” on his Instagram.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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