Crown star’s stalker entered the UK illegally
The obsessed American stalker who left ‘The Crown’ star Claire Foy fearing he would kill her and her daughter entered the UK illegally, a court heard today (mon).
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.
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.
Wearing a white shirt and brown cap Penrose appeared at Wood Green Crown Court, speaking only to confirm his name.
He admitted stalking and two breaches of a stalking protection order earlier this month.
Penrose was committed to Wood Green Crown Court for sentencing after a judge warned he faced at least 30 months in jail.
He had been receiving treatment at Whittington Hospital in north London but it emerged today he is no longer receiving treatment.
Judge David Aaronberg, KC, said another issue to resolve was the possibility of Penrose being deported, since he came to the UK illegally.
The judge said until Penrose has been sentenced any application for his deportation ‘will not be accepted even though he is known to have entered the country unlawfully’.
Judge Aaronberg adjourned sentence until 2 December, adding: ‘It is the joint view of everybody who is involved in the case that Mr Penrose has a mental illness which is treatment resistant and there is a high risk of further offending and a high risk of harm. The suggestion is that the only way of dealing with this is a custodial sentence.
‘He suffers from delusional beliefs and relatively limited insight into his mental illness and there is a suggestion that keeping him in hospital is not going to help.’
Penrose was released on bail with conditions including he live in accommodation as directed by the Islington NHS trust.
Varinder Hayre, prosecuting, earlier told the court: ‘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.’
The stalking 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 $20m 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.’
‘She struggles to sleep and is terrified in her own home. She feels like the freedoms before Mr Penrose contacted her have now gone,’ Mr Hayre added.
Ms Foy even asked friends not to tag or picture her in photos at social events for fear of Mr Penrose being able to track where she is.
In a letter written to court Ms Foy 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.’
The actress played the Queen in the first two series of Netflix’s hit show and has won a Golden Globe, two Emmy Awards and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
She was granted an interim stalking protection order earlier this year, but despite the order Penrose sent her another letter and a parcel from the hospital where he was being treated.
A judge had imposed a five-year stalking protection order against Penrose in July after the actress raised ‘great concerns due to the nature of the communications.’
Penrose admitted stalking involving serious alarm or distress – which carries the maximum sentence of 10 years jail – under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.
He also admitted two breaches of a stalking protection order when he appeared at Thames Magistrates’ Court earlier this month.
District Judge William Nelson had said then: ‘I agree with the prosecution where the starting point is two years and six months imprisonment.
‘The persistent conduct created very serious distress, a great deal of psychological harm and caused Ms Foy to make considerable changes to her lifestyle.’
Penrose was released on conditional bail ahead of sentence.
He must surrender his passport to police, not apply for travel documents, live and sleep as directed by the Islington NHS Trust, not contact Ms Foy directly or indirectly or attend an address he knows or believes to be Ms Foy’s address.
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