Anna Friel: Pensioner who stalked Marcella star for nearly three years to be sentenced next month
A man who stalked actress Anna Friel for nearly three years is to be sentenced next month.
Phil Appleton, 71, sent numerous messages, visited the actress’s home address several times and left “unwanted” gifts between January 2022 and December last year, Reading Crown Court previously heard.
The defendant, described online as an actor and retired pilot, admitted stalking under Section 2A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 earlier this week.
Appleton was due to be sentenced on Thursday but judge Alan Blake adjourned the hearing until 18 September for a pre-sentence report to be carried out.
The court heard the pensioner, from Windsor in Berkshire, has been in custody for six months and has spent time in a mental health facility.
Granted conditional bail, he was told he must not contact Ms Friel or enter the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead and is to co-operate with those conducting the pre-sentence report.
Friel, 49, rose to fame with her role as Beth Jordache in Channel 4 soap opera Brookside.
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She achieved international renown in 2007, starring as Charlotte “Chuck” Charles in the ABC comedy series Pushing Daisies.
In 2017, she won the International Emmy for Best Actress for her role as the title character in the ITV and Netflix mystery drama series Marcella
