Pensioner who stalked TV actress for almost three years to be sentenced next month

A antheral who stalked histrion Anna Friel for astir 3 years is to beryllium sentenced adjacent month.

Phil Appleton, 71, sent galore messages, visited the actress's location code respective times and near "unwanted" gifts betwixt January 2022 and December past year, Reading Crown Court antecedently heard.

The defendant, described online arsenic an histrion and retired pilot, admitted stalking nether Section 2A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 earlier this week.

Appleton was owed to beryllium sentenced connected Thursday but justice Alan Blake adjourned the proceeding until 18 September for a pre-sentence study to beryllium carried out.

The tribunal heard the pensioner, from Windsor successful Berkshire, has been successful custody for six months and has spent clip successful a intelligence wellness facility.

Granted conditional bail, helium was told helium indispensable not interaction Ms Friel oregon participate the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead and is to co-operate with those conducting the pre-sentence report.

Friel, 49, roseate to fame with her relation arsenic Beth Jordache successful Channel 4 soap opera Brookside.

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She achieved planetary renown successful 2007, starring arsenic Charlotte "Chuck" Charles successful the ABC drama bid Pushing Daisies.

In 2017, she won the International Emmy for Best Actress for her relation arsenic the rubric quality successful the ITV and Netflix enigma play bid Marcella