Stalker's actions left actress Anna Friel feeling intimidated and startled, as she testified in court.
In a chilling case of stalking, British actress Anna Friel found herself the victim of a three-year ordeal at the hands of Phil Appleton. Appleton, who resided in London, first made contact with Friel in 2022 after the two met during a walk. Friel initially provided her email address, but the interactions soon turned sinister. In April of the same year, Appleton started sending regular messages to Friel, expressing his love for her, inviting her to lunch and dinner, and even claiming he would marry her. However, Friel chose to ignore these messages, hoping that the unwanted attention would cease. Unfortunately, Appleton's actions escalated. He visited Friel's home address dressed in a dinner jacket, attempting to invite her to a ball. He left empty packets of cigarettes and a wooden ring at her home on multiple occasions. In a particularly disturbing incident, he handed Friel's daughter an empty pack of cigarettes. CCTV footage showed Appleton standing outside Friel's home for several minutes, making facial expressions and mouthing 'I love you' and holding up a ring. These actions made Friel feel threatened, forcing her to constantly look over her shoulder. In December 2024, Appleton was caught looking through Friel's lounge window. This was not the first time he had left unwanted gifts at her home. Appleton's stalking continued until August 2025, when he pleaded guilty to a stalking offence. He was remanded in custody for six months and granted conditional bail. In August, he pleaded guilty again, this time to a more serious charge. As a result, Appleton was handed a 15-year restraining order and a 24-month community order. Judge Alan Blake will monitor Appleton's compliance with the community order requirements electronically for the next 12 months. As part of the restraining order, Appleton must not approach, follow, or contact Friel or her daughter, directly or indirectly, and must stay away from the area surrounding Friel's home in Windsor. Appleton also admitted to being a patient in a mental health hospital. It is hoped that with the restraining order in place, Friel can now live her life free from the fear of Appleton's stalking.
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