A man who stalked a Scottish BBC actress and her sister with hundreds of racist and sexual emails has been given a suspended prison sentence. Gary Summers, 57, targeted Eubha Akilade, who plays PC Lorna Burns in the show Shetland, and her sister Eilidh Akilade.
Campaign of Abuse
Ipswich Crown Court heard how Summers bombarded both women with hundreds of emails between January 2024 and October 2025. Recorder Jeremy Benson described the messages as "thoroughly disgusting, revolting".
Summers told Eubha Akilade that "as a mixed race woman, you will have less virtue than say a typical white woman". She described the comment as "bizarre and upsetting". He also told her she would be treated as a "second class citizen" because of her race and suggested their mother should regret bringing mixed race children into the world.
He told Eilidh Akilade he had watched an interview with her on YouTube and found it "one of the most arousing and blissful experiences of my life". He made numerous other highly sexualised comments to both women.
In-Person Stalking
The situation escalated when Summers worked out where Eubha Akilade lived. He began stalking her in person, culminating in a parcel being sent to her address. The parcel contained a T-shirt bearing the slogan 'We stand with Israel' and a handwritten note signed 'Kind regards'.
Summers, of Bungay in Suffolk, was identified using CCTV and DNA linking him to the parcel. He was arrested last October and admitted two counts of racially aggravated stalking that caused serious alarm or distress.
Victim Impact
In a victim impact statement, Eilidh Akilade said she began subconsciously predicting Summers's comments about her. She wrote: "His voice became part of my internal monologue, which really impacted my self-esteem. My world became increasingly small."
Addressing Summers on Friday, Recorder Benson said: "You should be thoroughly ashamed of yourself." At this, Summers hung his head and nodded.
Sentencing
Recorder Benson handed Summers a prison sentence of 30 months, suspended for two years. Summers was fined £2,500 and ordered to pay £1,000 in court costs and a statutory charge, totalling £3,687. He was banned from contacting either victim until otherwise directed by the court.
