A Royal Ballet photographer sent his lingerie model ex-girlfriend a sex toy and a photo of her dog ‘drowning’ during a three-month campaign of harassment.
Andrej Uspenski, 38, targeted Tatjana Novitjenko after she ended their relationship when he became possessive.
Russian-born Uspenski had been dating the dancer for eight months, when she dumped him, in June last year.
Andrej Uspenski (left), 38, targeted Tatjana Novitjenko (right)after she ended their relationship when he became possessive
After the split, former ballet star Uspenski sent his ex a number of aggressive texts and fumed at her for aborting his baby, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard.
She became ‘very anxious’ about his behaviour and got a court order to stop him getting in touch.
But the ruling made no difference and he continued to bombard her with texts, emails and flowers, the Sun reports.
Later, on her birthday, he hand-delivered an ‘odd-shaped package’ to her flat in Chelsea, west London.
She was in Thailand at the time and a friend took in the gift and, on her request, opened it.
Prosecutor Katie Bryan told magistrates: ‘Initially she thought it was a joke from another friend messing around, but then discovered a note with the defendant’s hand writing.
Russian-born Uspenski had been dating dancer Ms Novitjenko for eight months, when she dumped him, in June last year
‘It said, ‘Life is that serious, oh yes, life is that serious, but not really’.
‘Attached to the card was a photo of her dog, photo-shopped to make it look like the dog was drowning.’
Uspenski admitted harassment without violence and will be sentenced in three weeks time.
He describes himself as a ‘London based dance and fashion photographer’ on his Instagram account which has more than 20,500 followers.
Uspenski, who comes from St Petersburg, was an acclaimed ballet star before he retired in 2015.
He danced with the Danish Royal Ballet and the Royal Ballet, after winning second prize at the Rieti and Yalta International Ballet Competitions in 1998, in Latvia and Russia respectively.