Stalker left Crown’s Claire Foy in fear for herself and her daughter of 7
THE Crown star Claire Foy feared a stalker who turned up at her home could kill her and her seven-year-old daughter, a court heard yesterday.
The 38-year-old actress, who played the Queen in the first two series of the Netflix show, was left ‘terrified in her own home’ when Jason Penrose appeared and spoke to her daughter through an intercom.
The 49-year-old American also bombarded her agent with thousands of emails and left switchboard messages. He even sent a parcel and letter to Miss Foy’s home after a judge banned him from contacting her for five years.
Thames Magistrates Court heard how the ordeal had traumatised the award-winning star, shattering her peace of mind and leaving her struggling to sleep.
She was so frightened that he would track her movements that she begged film industry colleagues not to take pictures of her or tag her in photographs at social events.
In an anguished letter to the court, Miss Foy described her torment: ‘His relentless attempts to contact me are so traumatic. Every time I think this is sorted it is not. I feel like there is nothing that would stop him being able to contact me. He has affected every aspect of my life.’
Yesterday Penrose was warned by a judge that he faces ‘a lengthy prison sentence’ after admitting stalking. He first contacted Miss Foy’s agent last year pretending he was a scriptwriter with a $20million deal with Warner Brothers Studio and claiming he wanted her to star in his sci-fi film.
The actress refused, telling her agent she did not know who he was. But Penrose continued, sending more than 1,000 graphic emails – including one referring to rape – between February 19 last year and February 7 this year.
Varinder Hayre, prosecuting, said: ‘Miss Foy has been targeted by Mr Penrose in a sustained, unwanted, fixated and obsessive behaviour that was intrusive due to his delusional beliefs. He 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.’
On December 17, he went to her home and repeatedly rang the doorbell. When the intercom was answered by her daughter, Penrose said: ‘It’s Jason, I’m outside.’ Miss Hayre said the incident left the actress ‘in genuine fear for her safety and terrified and helpless in her own home’.
Penrose went on to try to contact her on LinkedIn and Instagram as well as emailing her sister and texting an ex-boyfriend.
The prosecutor said: ‘ He talked about Miss Foy being raped and wanted her to be his girlfriend. Miss Foy was terrified as she did not know what his intention was. She was in fear for her and her daughter’s lives. She was frightened knowing he was somewhere.’
Miss Hayre said the stalking campaign had had ‘an extreme effect on her life and peace of mind’, adding: ‘ She struggles to sleep.’ In July, District Judge Michael Oliver imposed a fiveyear stalking protection order after the actress raised ‘great concerns due to the nature of the communications’.
But despite the order Penrose sent her another letter and a parcel from the hospital where he was being treated. The star, who has won a Golden Globe, two Emmy Awards and two Screen Actors Guild Awards, was not in court yesterday.
Penrose admitted stalking involving serious alarm or distress, which carries a maximum sentence of ten years in jail. He also admitted two breaches of a stalking protection order.
District Judge William Nelson referred the case to Wood Green Crown Court, saying he did not have the sentencing powers to jail him for longer than six months.
Penrose, who was accompanied by NHS staff, was granted conditional bail so he could return to hospital in north London, where he continues to be treated. He will be sentenced on November 28.
‘Terrified and helpless’