Man harassed and chased Cardiff drag queen Darren Moore months before his death, court hears

Darren Moore, who performed under the drag queen name CC Quinn, was found dead in January Credit: Police photo/GoFundMe

A man has been jailed for harassing a well-known drag queen months before his death.

Donovan Clarkson was behind a campaign of social media harassment and on one occasion chased Darren Meah-Moore down the street shouting, "He's a paedophile."Mr Meah-Moore was found dead on the evening of 22 January in Park Lane in Cardiff city centre.

The 39-year-old from Newport was a well-known drag artist who performed under the name CC Quinn. A 50-year old man arrested on suspicion of manslaughter remains on police bail. There is no suggestion that Clarkson is linked to that investigation.

Newport Crown Court heard that Clarkson used social media to harass his victim from April to June last year, where he would post about Mr Meah-Moore's 1999 conviction for four counts of raping a boy under the age of 16. Those historic offences had seen Mr Meah-Moore sent to a young offenders' institution for three years.Prosecutor Tabitha Walker told the court that the men had known each other for around two years before the harassment.

They were connected on Facebook but not friends according to the drag queen's husband, who is also called Darren Moore.

Ms Walker said: "Further links related to Mr Meah-Moore representing British Airways on a float at Brighton Pride. In the post the defendant said BA had employed a convicted paedophile drag queen for Gay Pride accompanied by a photo of Mr Meah-Moore. Further posts of this nature were shared on Facebook on a daily basis."The victim's husband reported the posts to Facebook but they were not removed so he contacted Gwent Police.

Clarkson received a warning from police to stop the harassment but continued, the court heard.

The court heard Clarkson chased Mr Meah-Moore down the street in Cardiff and filmed it on social media Credit: Media Wales

On one occasion, Clarkson chased Mr Meah-Moore along Queen Street while broadcasting a live video on Facebook. The court heard Mr Meah-Moore was "always calm and non-aggressive in his responses".

The court also heard, Clarkson posted on Facebook: "A child rapist is performing at the Ampleforth Arms in Oxfordshire. Share your views." The pub later cancelled Mr Meah-Moore's gig.Clarkson was arrested in August and told police he had "only been posting links of facts in the public domain" and denied posting anything to cause distress to Mr Meah-Moore.

In a victim statement months before his death Mr Meah-Moore said: "This behaviour has caused me upset and I don't understand why he is doing it. My past happened 23 years ago and I have to live with it every day. I don't want to be reminded every day and I don't want other people sharing what is not the truth."

His husband, Mr Moore said, "It took over my and Darren's life to the point of affecting our relationship... Darren has recently passed away and I can't help looking back on our last 12 months as tainted by Donovan's actions... We were both constantly worried about what would happen next."

Newport Crown Court heard that Clarkson, 39, harassed his victim from April to June last year Credit: Media Wales

Clarkson has 15 previous offences on his record including two of actual bodily harm and two of battery. He harassed Mr Meah-Moore while already under a suspended prison sentence for ABH and a community order for harassment. The defendant, of Penarth Road, pleaded guilty to harassing Mr Meah-Moore. In his interview with the probation service he showed "no remorse" and claimed there was an incident in which Mr Meah-Moore "had a go" at him before the harassment. His barrister Harry Baker said: "There has been a diagnosis of a personality disorder which will no doubt explain the obsessive behaviour. I'm sure it provides no comfort to any victim in this case but it goes to explain the obsessive behaviour here.Mr Baker said his client's compliance with his community order and suspended sentence had been "good". But the judge, Recorder Alun Eynon-Evans, replied: "Well other than that he has now breached them while in the community."The judge also noted that on 16 March, the date Clarkson was initially due to be sentenced, he posted "further offensive remarks" about the late Mr Meah-Moore. Recorder Eynon-Evans said this was "incredible" and described Clarkson's social media activity as "intended to maximise distress". He imposed a total of 30 weeks in jail for the harassment and breaches.Clarkson was placed under an order restraining him from contacting Mr Moore, or referring to either Mr Moore or the late Mr Meah-Moore electronically, for five years.