Man, 70, pleads guilty to stalking Anna Friel by leaving her unwanted gifts and turning up at her home
Phil Appleton, 70, admitted stalking involving serious alarm or distress during a hearing at Reading Crown Court on Monday.
The court heard he had pursued a course of conduct 'which had a substantial adverse effect on her usual day-to-day activities'.
Some of the specific acts included sending unwanted emails, attending her home address and leaving gifts.
A previous hearing heard that the actress was concerned she might see the defendant at a a 'health club' they both attended.
Friel currently stars in BBC drama Unforgivable, a harrowing story about a family who deal with the devastating aftermath of an act of sexual abuse committed by a member of their own family.
On the first day of what would have been Appleton's trial last Monday, the court heard Friel was unable to attend because of commitments she had in relation to the production.
Jai Patel, prosecuting, also said Friel and her daughter had asked for permission to attend the trial and give evidence by video link because of 'genuine fear and distress'.
James Bloomer KC, defending Appleton, said his client was intending to run a defence of insanity and asked for the trial to be adjourned so that a further medical report to be obtained.
Appleton, of Springfield Road in Windsor, Berkshire, had been in custody for five months since he was arrested over the offence, which ran from January 1 2022 to December 11 last year, most recently spending time in a psychiatric hospital.
After admitting the offence, he was remanded in custody to HMP Bullingdon and a sentencing hearing is scheduled for Thursday.
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