Four-year campaign turned sinister

Former veterinary nurse Sarah Bartholomew, 29, was told she caused the Little Britain star ‘pain and distress’ by bombarding him with erotic poems, emails and letters.

But she was told she would not be going to jail for the four-year stalking campaign.

The tone of her messages turned more sinister after Walliams’ solicitors warned her that her affections were unreciprocated, and two weeks ago police decided to bring charges.

Crown Prosecution Service solicitor Julius Efemini told Highbury Magistrates Court in North London: ‘ Miss Bartholomew has somehow become obsessed with Mr Walliams. She has repeatedly sent him a large number of emails of letters and poems. She turned up to his home address.

‘These emails were overtly sexual. Towards the tail end of it, it would seem the tone of these letters and emails changed.

"She sent an email to [Walliams’s agent Carl] Hill saying, “David knows what's coming to him.” She also said, “A big mistake had been made”.’

In each correspondence, Bartholomew clearly identified herself, as she believed she was entitled to write the letters.

District Judge Ian Baker said he would sentence Bartholomew on Friday, following a pre-sentence report.

But he said: ‘You are certainly not going to prison for this conduct, I can assure you of that. But the court is bound to consider a community penalty.’

Published: 30 Apr 2008