27th May 2023 – (London) Orla Sloan, a 21-year-old social media influencer and model, has recently pleaded guilty to stalking Chelsea football star Mason Mount. Sloan, also known as the ‘Devil Baby’, had previously enjoyed a bohemian lifestyle with her free-spirited parents in the serene ambiance of Devon. However, her past has come undone as she now stands guilty of stalking not only Mount but also Brighton’s Billy Gilmour and Chelsea and England full-back Ben Chilwell.
Sloan had spent a short spell dating Mount before he ended the relationship. She then went on to bombard the players with calls and messages across various platforms, using different phone numbers and social media accounts. Sloan falsely claimed to have become pregnant by Gilmour, despite the pair never having slept together.
On Wednesday, at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, Sloan pleaded guilty to stalking Mount, stalking involving fear of violence or serious alarm or distress against Gilmour, and another charge of harassing Chilwell. The three players had met Sloan at a party in 2020, and prosecutor Jason Seetal explained that ‘Following that, Mr Mount and Ms Sloan slept together once. There was communication between them for around six months, and Mr Mount decided that the relationship wasn’t going to progress anymore. He decided to end contact with Ms Sloan.’
The players were bombarded by messages and calls from Sloan, which varied in tone but eventually became threatening, including her alter-ego. Sloan wrote to Mount, “You and Ben (Chilwell) will be destroyed. Beware of devil baby Mason, I can morph in a second.” Mount expressed his worry about Sloan knowing where he lived and trained, fearing that she might turn up at his training centre.
Gilmour, who had moved from Chelsea to Brighton in 2022, found it especially difficult to deal with the situation in a new environment. He stated that he was not able to sleep and had to take sleeping tablets on occasions. The constant harassment had a knock-on effect on his performance, and he was worried not only for himself but also for those targeted by Sloan.
Sloan will be sentenced on 20th June, with the judge warning that it could result in a prison sentence, stating that “The starting point for one offense crosses the custody threshold, and it was targeting of three different people.” The case has raised concerns about the dangers of social media and the need for increased protection for public figures and individuals who may become the target of such harassment.