Dynasty star Stephanie, 75, held captive at home for 20 minutes by hammer raider
STEPHANIE Beacham was threatened by a hammer-wielding raider in a terrifying burglary.
The Dynasty actress was left shaken after David Wilson battered his way into her €850,000 home, days after he was freed from prison.
New details about the daylight raid can be revealed after the 56-year-old thief admitted aggravated burglary this week.
Wilson claimed the raid was ‘unplanned’, suggesting he did not know whose home he was breaking into until he encountered the shocked actress.
The 75-year-old star is said to have disturbed him as he was ransacking her property in Bayswater, west London, at around 2pm on September 25, 2022. Wilson threatened her, demanding money and jewellery as he menaced her with the hammer.
He ordered her into another room and shut the door while he carried on rifling through her belongings. For 20 minutes, she waited helplessly as Wilson grabbed jewellery, as well as her purse, mobile phone, chequebook and keys, before leaving the property. Although she was unharmed, the British actress was described as profoundly shaken when police arrived.
On Wednesday, Wilson admitted aggravated burglary at Southwark Crown Court, but Claire Mawer, defending, said: ‘The aggravated burglary in relation to Beacham was unplanned.’ She added: ‘He has experienced long-term difficulties with drug addiction.’
He also admitted carrying out a burglary on a pensioner in Sheffield, stealing a snooker championship medal, a stepladder and a mattress in May last year. He will be sentenced next month.
A spokesman for Ms Beacham declined to comment yesterday. The actress achieved stardom with her role in Dynasty in the 1980s, and subsequently appeared in Tenko, Bad Girls and Casualty. Most recently she has played Ken Barlow’s love interest in Coronation Street.