Stalker Sentenced for Kidnap Plot Against American Influencer
Rob Keating, a 40-year-old man from West Sussex, has been sentenced after stalking American travel influencer Alexandra Saper and following her to Bali in a plot to kidnap her. Keating was convicted of two counts of stalking involving fear of violence at Portsmouth Crown Court in May.
Obsessive Campaign Over a Year
Over the course of a year, Keating sent hundreds of emails and dozens of videos to Saper, known to her 164,000 Instagram followers as The Wayfaress. The court heard that the messages grew increasingly obsessive and sexual in nature. In one email, Keating declared his love for Saper and stated he would do “whatever it takes” to be with her, adding, “If that involves kidnapping then so be it.”
Bali Stalking Incident
In January 2023, Keating boarded a flight to Bali, where Saper was living at the time. Upon arrival, he messaged her, “You’re never getting rid of me.” Keating also sent Saper a photo of a body inside a suitcase, along with videos threatening to do the same to her. According to court documents, he told her, “Either you agree to meet me or I have a suitcase you can fit in — either way you are getting ‘relationshipped’ or kidnapped.”
A spokesperson for UK Police told the court that Keating’s arrival in Indonesia left Saper terrified for her life. “After the woman’s friends saw Keating in person close to her address, the woman fled to a friend’s address and contacted local police before later leaving the country fearing for her safety,” they said. Saper also reported Keating’s conduct to the UK and US embassies in Indonesia.
Arrest and Continued Harassment
Keating was arrested on stalking charges upon returning to Gatwick Airport in March 2023, where police discovered rope inside his suitcase. While investigations continued, Keating resumed messaging Saper with screenshots of flights to Bali, captioned “Round Two”.
Victim Impact Statement
In a victim impact statement read to the court on Monday, Saper described the “devastating” impact of Keating’s actions. “For years, I built a social media and travel brand from nothing — a positive space where women could feel empowered and safe in the world … I lived and worked according to those beliefs, until they were shattered by a stranger who found me online,” she said. “Rob knew I was terrified and wanted to be left alone. But he didn’t care, he refused to take no for an answer.”
Prosecution and Sentencing
Rachel Robertson from the Crown Prosecution Service described Keating’s offending as “deeply distressing”. “His messages contained explicit threats to kidnap and implicit threats to rape and murder her,” she said. “This type of offence is frightening for victims, forcing them to change their routines — in Ms Saper’s case, she fled her home in fear of her life. It is vital that women and girls feel safe when going about their lives.”
Keating was found to be suffering from “grandiose delusions” at the time of the offences and was sentenced to a hospital order on Monday. An indefinite restraining order was also granted, barring Keating from ever contacting Saper.
