Claire Foy stalker 'likely to become a pest again'

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Claire Foy at the premiere for The Girl in the Spider's WebImage source, Vittorio Zunino Celotto via Getty
Image caption,

Claire Foy received over 1,000 emails from her stalker last year

The sentencing of Claire Foy's stalker has been adjourned after the court received a letter warning he would continue contacting the actress.

Ms Foy, 38, who starred in Wolf Hall, received over 1,000 emails from Jason Penrose, 49, in one month last year.

Penrose, who has been held in hospital for mental health treatment for a year, denies sending the letter.

The case has been adjourned to 20 January.

Penrose was previously served with a full stalking protection order (SPO) in July after contacting the actor's sister and knocking on her door on one occasion.

Last month he pleaded guilty to stalking Foy, who played Queen Elizabeth II in the first two seasons of Netflix's The Crown.

Penrose also admitted two charges of breaching an interim stalking ban order by sending a letter and a parcel to the actor.

He was due to be sentenced on Thursday at Wood Green Crown Court, which had received a letter Judge David Aaronberg KC described as "jottings and scribblings on a piece of paper".

The judge said it was "not a threatening document", but was written by someone with "some sort of obsession with Ms Foy and they are likely to write again" although they say "will not persist in ringing her doorbell".

Image source, NIKLAS HALLE'N via Getty
Image caption,

Claire Foy starred alongside Matt Smith in the first two seasons of hit show The Crown

Penrose denied sending the letter, saying from the dock: "They've spelt my name wrong."

Prosecutor Nicki Roberson said the note was an "aggravating factor" in the case and the judge said he might need to make a decision on who wrote it before sentencing Penrose.

The judge said the letter led him to the conclusion that if Penrose stops taking his medication "he is likely to start becoming a pest again and he does not necessarily mean to be a pest" but has "an unhealthy obsession with Ms Foy".

He also added that "it would be wrong" to claim that Penrose intended to cause physical harm to Ms. Foy.

The judge is seeking further assurance that US citizen Penrose, who is in the UK illegally, will be deported following his sentencing next month.