A 71-YEAR-OLD ‘stalker’ has denied harassing Channel 4 star Anna Friel after visiting her home and “leaving unwanted gifts.”
Phil Appleton, 71, was accused of stalking the actress for nearly three years but denied the offence in court earlier this week.
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The pensioner is alleged to have harassed the TV star between January 1 2022 and December 11 2024, causing “serious distress.”
Anna Friel, 48, rose to fame with her role as Beth Jordache in Channel 4 soap opera Brookside.
Her “stalker” reportedly made multiple attempts to contact MsFriel.
He reportedly sent “numerous messages”, visited the actress’s home address on several occasions and “left unwanted gifts,” a judge sitting at Reading Crown Court heard on Monday.
The alleged stalking is said to have caused Ms Friel “serious alarm or distress” and had “an adverse effect on her day-to-day activities”, the court heard.
Appleton, of Springfield Road in Windsor, Berkshire, pleaded not guilty to one count of stalking causing serious alarm or distress.
The defendant, who appeared by videolink from HMP Bullingdon and did not have a solicitor present in court, told Judge Neil Millard he accepted sending messages to Ms Friel and visiting her home address on several occasions.
However, he denied his behaviour amounted to stalking.
A provisional trial date has been set for July 28 at Reading Crown Court.
Appleton will next appear in court on May 9 for a further case management hearing.
Anna Friel achieved international renown in 2007 starring as Charlotte “Chuck” Charles in 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.
This series ran on for three seasons and the most recently ran from 206 to 2021.
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