Billie Piper tells court ‘I do not feel safe being at home’ after stalker sent her 18-page message when she didn’t turn up at previous hearing to see him be banned from contacting her
- Actress and new mother stalked by Philip Jerome, 36, of Eastleigh in Hampshire
- Had a large collection of newspaper cuttings and pictures of Piper at his home
- Sent Facebook message to relatives mentioning book signing where he saw her
- Jerome admitted one count of harassment by breaching a restraining order
Billie Piper has revealed she ‘does not feel safe’ in her own home after an obsessive stalker sent her an 18-page message when she didn’t attend a court hearing at which he was banned from contacting her, magistrates heard today.
The 36-year-old, who gave birth to third child Tallulah last month, was forced to seek a restraining order against ‘obsessive’ Philip Jerome last year after he turned up at her house with a letter.
A court heard today after being banned from contacting her, Jerome, 41, sent a lengthy Facebook message of ‘adoration’ to the actress via her mother and sister after tracking them down on the social networking site.
Philip Jerome (seen today outside Southampton Magistrates Court) has been stalking Billie Piper (right, at the Edinburgh Film Festival on June 23)
In the message, Jerome told her he was disappointed she had not been at court when he was given the restraining order.
Despite being banned from contacting her, Jerome has continued to obsessively tweet Miss Piper, including telling her ‘I love you’ on her birthday in September, with a picture of her as Rose Tyler in Doctor Who attached.
Jerome has bombarded the Dr Who actress and Because We Want To singer with tweets since setting up his account eight years ago.
His first tweet from the account was sent to Piper, with a picture of the first time he met her at a signing for her book Growing Pains, taken in 2006.
In September 2016, Jerome revealed he wished the Secret Diary of a Call Girl star would ‘choose a boring guy like me’ as a boyfriend.
Southampton Magistrates’ Court today heard Miss Piper no longer felt ‘safe’ in her own home because she was concerned he may show up again.
Prosecutor Graham Heath told the court Jerome had a large collection of newspaper cuttings and pictures of Miss Piper at his home in Eastleigh, Hampshire, which was found by police when they arrested him.
Mr Heath said: ‘On August 23, last year, a Facebook message was sent to two people. Miss Piper’s sister, Harley, and her mother, Mandy Kent.
‘As one might expect, neither of those are friends of his on Facebook, he has researched and found out their identities, and satisfied himself they were their accounts.
‘It was a long message, which runs to some 18 pages. There’s nothing menacing in the letter, I suppose it might well be treated as adoration in other circumstances.
‘He clearly refers to meeting with her at a book signing over a decade ago and there’s some long-standing attraction.
‘There’s some degree of unrealism in relation to the circumstances. He clearly thinks there’s a relationship between them.’
Jerome (seen outside court today) admitted one count of harassment by breaching a restraining order
In a statement, the Penny Dreadful star said: ‘The letter indicates his disappointment at not seeing me at court.
‘I do not feel safe being at home. I do not believe he would show up and hurt me, however I don’t know that for sure.’
Jerome admitted one count of harassment by breaching a restraining order.
He was ordered to carry out 28 rehabilitation days to try and stop him becoming obsessed and 100 hours of unpaid work.
Mitigating, Sarah Barnard said: ‘The letter is one of apology and adoration. It is not meant, in any way, to offend. It is misplaced adoration.
‘If he does not get help, he will likely be before a court again – not in relation to Billie Piper, but another person.’