Stalker threatened to rape The Crown star Claire Foy in multiple emails, court hears

30 June 2022, 13:06 | Updated: 30 June 2022, 13:08

A stalker allegedly threatened to rape The Crown star Claire Foy and sent her over 1,000 emails in a month, a court has heard.

A court was told today how Jason Penrose, 39, sent the Netflix star's publicist Emma Jackson emails about the actress being raped and said he wanted to be her girlfriend.

Ms Foy was under "significant risk" from the alleged stalker in November and December last year, the court heard.

The 38-year-old, who played the young queen in the first two series of the hit Netflix show, even called the police to report that the 39-year-old man was "outside her home ringing on her doorbell constantly", according to court papers.

Penrose, who gave his address as Highgate Mental Health Centre, was accompanied by NHS workers at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court in London on Thursday.

Rosa Bennathan, on behalf of the Metropolitan Police, applied for a full stalking protection order (SPO) against Penrose.

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Police can apply at the magistrates' court for a civil SPO to block alleged stalkers from contacting or approaching their alleged victims while a criminal investigation into their behaviour continues.

Ms Bennathan said in August and September 2021, Penrose sent an email to Ms Foy's agent, saying he was a film director and producer and wanted her to appear in his next film.

However, the Golden Globe winner said she did not know who he was.

He proceeded to send over 1,000 emails to Ms Foy from November 2 to mid-December, contacted the actress' sister and attended her address after finding out where she lived, the court heard.

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Penrose is said to have sent Ms Jackson explicit emails, writing about "wanting her to be his girlfriend", according to court papers.

In one, on November 2, he allegedly said: "I'm sorry I think Claire('s) policy should be not talking about any personal stuff in media and only creative business."

Ms Jackson forwarded the emails to Ms Foy's agent, who had also received messages but had blocked the account.

Applying for the full SPO order, Ms Bennathan said: "There have clearly been acts that amount to stalking, posing a significant risk to Ms Foy."

She said the order was "necessary to protect them".

However, the hearing to decide on a full SPO was adjourned until July 22 after Penrose arrived unrepresented at the court.

Moira McFarlane, who later arrived to represent him, opted for adjournment, saying: "His mental health is still under question."

An interim SPO was originally granted in February and has been extended until July 28.

It prevents Penrose from contacting Ms Foy or Ms Jackson, as well as him attending their homes, workplaces or anywhere they reasonably expect they would be.

Any breach of the order can be prosecuted as a criminal offence.