Latest news with #PhilAppleton
The Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Obsessed stalker with ‘erotomania' bombarded Channel 4 actress Anna Friel with sexual messages & left gifts at her home
A STALKER with "erotomania" bombarded Channel 4 actress Anna Friel with sexual messages and unwanted gifts for three years. Phil Appleton, who is 71, chillingly turned up at the 49-year-old star's house multiple times. 3 3 3 Reading Crown Court heard he left "unwanted" presents for her between January 2022 and December 2024. The pensioner from Windsor in Berkshire is described online as an actor and retired pilot. He has been in custody for six months and spent time in a mental health facility. Appleton was due to stand trial, with special measures put in place to mitigate Friel's "fear and distress" while giving evidence. However, this was called off after he performed a U-turn and admitted to stalking the Channel 4 star. Yesterday, Reading Crown Court heard Appleton has been diagnosed with a condition called erotomania, along with bipolar. Erotomania is characterised by a person's delusions of another person being in love with them, and usually affects women rather than men. It usually fixates on someone of a higher social status or a celebrity, but can extend to someone who is fictional or has died. A psychiatrist told the court Appleton would need to be monitored by mental health professionals and he was unable to say if his fixation would ever end, The Guardian reported. Judge Alan Blake asked probation services to prepare a report on Appleton, and said he had a 'lack of full understanding and acknowledgement of the impact of his behaviour on the victim'. He said: 'It is more likely [that] consistent treatment will help him to contain his feeling and reduce the risk of stalking. It is plain that, on a number of occasions, Mr Appleton has indicated that he does not think he is unwell or needs to take his medication and has desisted in so doing.' Appleton was granted bail on the condition he not contact the actress or enter the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. The judge declined to allow him to stay at an address in France, instead ordering him to remain at a family member's home in Suffolk. The pensioner is due to be sentenced on September 18. Friel rose to fame with her role as Beth Jordache in Channel 4 soap opera Brookside - making history for sharing the first-ever, pre-watershed lesbian kiss. She went on to star as Charlotte "Chuck" Charles in the ABC comedy series Pushing Daisies. In 2017, she won the International Emmy for Best Actress for her leading role in the ITV and Netflix series Marcella. What is erotomania? Erotomania, also known as de Clérambault's syndrome, is when you think someone is in love with you but they're not. The subject of the person's delusion is often a celebrity or someone of a higher social status. It's a rare psychiatric condition, and can even focus on a fictional character or someone who has died. They may believe that the person is communicating with them and affirming their love using secret messages. It tends to affect women more than men, and can occur alongside other mental health conditions. Behaviour includes persistent efforts to make contact through stalking, written communication, and other harassing behaviours. It can sometimes be triggered by the targeted person making it known that the attention is not wanted.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Pictured: Stalker, 71, with 'erotomania' who turned up at Unforgivable star Anna Friel's home and sent her unwanted gifts
A stalker with 'erotomania' who turned up at actress Anna Friel 's home and left her unwanted gifts has been pictured for the first time. Phil Appleton, 71, who is believed to have the paranoid condition that causes someone to have delusions another person is infatuated with them, is due to be sentenced next month. He admitted stalking the Unforgiveable star, who first shot to fame by being part of the first on-screen lesbian kiss on Channel 4 's Brookside, for almost three years. Appleton describes himself as an actor, retired pilot, mental health coach and writer in posts on social media. He also reposted a tweet which included pictures of Ms Friel. It said: 'Simply stunning. Just beautiful as always. 'Hope you are keeping safe. Love these photos.' In a separate post on X last year, he wrote: 'I was 70 on August 7, 2024. I'm a pilot, father, actor, coach and writer. 'In my opinion, after 43 years, psychiatric diagnoses are the greatest barrier to recovery from mental conflicts. Social media posts by Phil Appleton include a repost of a tweet about Ms Friel and claims he is a pilot and actor 'Gender differences are the root cause of mental health conditions, good and bad.' He also appears to advertise his services as a mental health coach and a bilingual actor, who speaks both French and English, on a personal website. A court previously heard that Appleton had pursued a course of conduct 'which had a substantial adverse effect' on Ms Friel's everyday activities. He sent her unwanted emails, attended her home address and left gifts. A previous hearing at Reading Crown Court heard that Friel was concerned she might see the defendant at a 'health club' they both attended. The court was told on Thursday that a psychiatrist had diagnosed Appleton with bipolar affective disorder and also believes he has a further diagnosis of 'erotomania'. 'Mr Appleton will require close monitoring by mental health professionals', Judge Alan Blake said the psychiatrist had concluded, adding 'he has not confirmed that Mr Appleton's fixation with the complainant in this case will necessarily resolve.' Friel currently stars in the 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 on Monday last week, 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'. Appleton, of Windsor in Berkshire, pleaded guilty to stalking without serious alarm or distress earlier this week. He was due to be sentenced on Thursday, but judge Alan Blake adjourned the hearing until September 18 for a pre-sentence report to be carried out, pointing out that the psychiatrist was 'not entirely sure if his feeling towards the complainant will subside'. The defendant, who the court heard has been in custody for six months and has spent time in a mental health facility, was granted conditional bail. At yesterday's hearing, James Bloomer KC, defending Appleton, said: 'We are dealing with a man aged 71 years who had a 25-year period of stability. 'He reaches 70 or thereabouts without a single interaction with the criminal justice system, despite his bipolar disorder.' 'Not to underestimate what has been pleaded guilty to here', Mr Bloomer added, 'this is a man whose level of need for the public to be protected from him is easy to overplay.' Mr Bloomer said the defendant had been on bail conditions, including not to contact Friel, in 2023 for a number of months without breaching them and would accept a lifelong restraining order. The lawyer said Appleton was 'absolutely determined' to do rehabilitative work and said he had learned from being in prison for the first time. 'He tells me that teaches him if nothing else does', Mr Bloomer said. He added he had felt Appleton had a 'lack of full understanding and acknowledgement of the impact of his behaviour on the victim.' 'It is more likely consistent treatment will help him to contain his feeling and reduce the risk of stalking', Judge Blake said. 'It is plain that on a number of occasions, Mr Appleton has indicated that he does not think he is unwell or needs to take his medication and has desisted in so doing.' Judge Blake agreed to bail Appleton, but declined to allow to him to stay at an address in France, instead ordering him to stay at his mother's address in Haverhill, Suffolk. Appleton was ordered not to contact Friel or her daughter and must not enter the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, which will be enforced by an electronic monitoring tag. The case was adjourned for Appleton, of Springfield Road, Windsor, to be sentenced for one count of stalking without fear, alarm or distress between January 1, 2022, to December 11 last year at the same court on September 18.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
‘Fixated' man who stalked Anna Friel for three years bailed ahead of sentencing
A man who was 'fixated' with actress Anna Friel and stalked her for nearly three years has been ordered by a judge not to contact her ahead of his sentencing next month. Phil Appleton, 71, sent numerous messages, visited the actress's home address on several occasions and left 'unwanted' gifts between January 1 2022 and December 11 2024, Reading Crown Court previously heard. Appleton, of Windsor in Berkshire, pleaded guilty to a stalking offence under Section 2A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 earlier this week. He was due to be sentenced on Thursday but judge Alan Blake adjourned the hearing until September 18 for a pre-sentence report to be carried out. The court heard that a psychiatrist had diagnosed Appleton with bipolar disorder and erotomania, where a person believes that someone else is in love with them. The psychiatrist said that Appleton had a 'fixation' with Friel and was trying to determine whether this was still the case, the court heard. The defendant, who the court heard has been in custody for six months and has spent time in a mental health facility, was granted conditional bail. Appleton must not contact Friel or enter the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, and is to co-operate with those conducting the pre-sentence report. A website under his name appears to suggest that he is an actor and retired pilot. Friel, 49, rose to fame with her role as Beth Jordache in Channel 4 soap opera Brookside. She 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.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Man who was ‘fixated' with Anna Friel ordered not to contact her before sentence
A man who was 'fixated' with actress Anna Friel and stalked her for nearly three years has been ordered by a judge not to contact her ahead of his sentencing next month. Phil Appleton, 71, sent numerous messages, visited the actress's home address on several occasions and left 'unwanted' gifts between January 1 2022 and December 11 2024, Reading Crown Court previously heard. Appleton, of Windsor in Berkshire, pleaded guilty to a stalking offence under Section 2A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 earlier this week. He was due to be sentenced on Thursday but judge Alan Blake adjourned the hearing until September 18 for a pre-sentence report to be carried out. The court heard that a psychiatrist had diagnosed Appleton with bipolar disorder and erotomania, where a person believes that someone else is in love with them. The psychiatrist said that Appleton had a 'fixation' with Friel and was trying to determine whether this was still the case, the court heard. The defendant, who the court heard has been in custody for six months and has spent time in a mental health facility, was granted conditional bail. Appleton must not contact Friel or enter the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, and is to co-operate with those conducting the pre-sentence report. A website under his name appears to suggest that he is an actor and retired pilot. Friel, 49, rose to fame with her role as Beth Jordache in Channel 4 soap opera Brookside. She 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.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Man who was ‘fixated' with Anna Friel ordered not to contact her before sentence
A man who was 'fixated' with actress Anna Friel and stalked her for nearly three years has been ordered by a judge not to contact her ahead of his sentencing next month. Phil Appleton, 71, sent numerous messages, visited the actress's home address on several occasions and left 'unwanted' gifts between January 1 2022 and December 11 2024, Reading Crown Court previously heard. Appleton, of Windsor in Berkshire, pleaded guilty to a stalking offence under Section 2A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 earlier this week. He was due to be sentenced on Thursday but judge Alan Blake adjourned the hearing until September 18 for a pre-sentence report to be carried out. The court heard that a psychiatrist had diagnosed Appleton with bipolar disorder and erotomania, where a person believes that someone else is in love with them. The psychiatrist said that Appleton had a 'fixation' with Friel and was trying to determine whether this was still the case, the court heard. The defendant, who the court heard has been in custody for six months and has spent time in a mental health facility, was granted conditional bail. Appleton must not contact Friel or enter the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, and is to co-operate with those conducting the pre-sentence report. A website under his name appears to suggest that he is an actor and retired pilot. Friel, 49, rose to fame with her role as Beth Jordache in Channel 4 soap opera Brookside. She 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.
