Stalker who terrified Crown star Claire entered UK illegally
A STALKER who left The Crown star Claire Foy fearing for her life entered the UK illegally but may not be deported, a court was told yesterday.
Miss Foy, 38, who played the Queen in the Netflix drama, was ‘terrified’ when Jason Penrose, 49, from the US, turned up at her home and spoke to her seven- year- old daughter through an intercom.
The court heard he bombarded her with more than 1,000 explicit emails and sent a parcel and letter even though a judge had banned him from contacting her for five years. Yesterday Judge David Aaronberg expressed astonishment at Wood Green Crown Court in north London that no consideration had yet been given to deporting Penrose, who suffers from mental health issues.
The American admitted stalking and two breaches of a protection order earlier this month.
In an anguished letter to court, award-winning actress Miss Foy previously described her torment. She said: ‘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.’
Penrose first contacted Miss
Foy’s agent pretending he was a scriptwriter with a multi-million pound deal who wanted her to star in a sci-fi film.
The actress refused, but Penrose continued to send emails, including one referring to rape, over the course of a year. In December 2021, 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.’ Prosecutor Varinder Hayre said the incident left the actress ‘in genuine fear for her safety and terrified and helpless in her own home.’
The court heard yesterday that Penrose is due to be discharged from hospital soon but no accommodation has been arranged.
Judge Aaronberg asked the prosecutor: ‘Will he be repatriated? He is liable for deportation regardless of the sentence in any case as he entered the country illegally.’
But he was told deportation officers will not consider the case until he is sentenced.
Penrose interrupted proceedings by offering to go into a hotel.
But the judge released him back to a health trust’s care on bail ahead of sentencing on Friday.
‘Genuine fear for her safety’