The Crown star Claire Foy thought a fixated American stalker was going to kill her and her daughter after he bombarded her with emails and turned up at her home, a court has heard.
Jason Penrose, 49, sent Ms Foy’s publicist Emma Jackson more than 1,000 explicit emails, including one referring to rape between 19 February 2021 and 7 February 2022.
Ms Foy was horrified when Penrose turned up at her home on 17 December last year and repeatedly rang her doorbell, Thames Magistrates court heard.
She now suffers sleepless nights and has even begged her film industry colleagues not to tag her in pictures in case Penrose uses them to track her movements.
Varinder Hayre, prosecuting, said: “Ms Foy has been targeted by Mr Penrose in a sustained, unwanted, fixated and obsessive behaviour that was intrusive due to his delusional beliefs.
“Mr Penrose was claiming she was interested in him romantically and he did believe she would like to star in a movie he was planning to make.”
Penrose launched a “campaign of consistent stalking”, sending thousands of emails, eight switchboard messages and going to the star’s home.
On the night he went to Ms Foy’s address, the door intercom was answered by her daughter, and Penrose said: “It’s Jason, I’m outside.”
His behaviour left the actress “in genuine fear for her safety and terrified and helpless in her own home”.
Penrose initially contacted Ms Foy through her agent and publicist claiming to be a movie producer.
He said he was a scriptwriter with a $20million deal with Warner Brothers Studio and wanted Ms Foy to act in his sci-fi film.
Penrose also tried to contact Ms Foy on LinkedIn and Instagram.
Ms Hayre described some of the emails sent by Penrose as “quite graphic”.
She said: “He talked about the victim Ms Foy being raped and wanted her to be his girlfriend.
“There were pictures of Mr Penrose himself in various hotels and locations in Camden.”
Penrose also contacted Ms Foy’s sister by email and ex-boyfriend by text.
“Ms Foy was terrified as she did not know what his intention was. She was in fear for her and her daughter’s lives,” said Mr Hayre.
“She was frightened knowing he was somewhere.”
The stalking had “an extreme effect on her life and peace of mind”.
Ms Foy says she struggles to sleep and is terrified in her own home since the stalking started
