Stockbroker convicted of harassing model Sophie Anderton

A stockbroker has been found guilty of stalking Bristol-born model Sophie Anderton by bombarding her with text messages.

Paul Davis, 59, initially contacted Ms Anderton claiming he intended to write her biography.

But he went on to say he wanted to marry her on a mountain, buy her a solitaire diamond ring and take her for dinner at Claridges in a string of 88 texts sent between January and April last year.

Davis, who suffers from bipolar disorder, denied one charge of harassment on the grounds of insanity but District Judge Andrew Sweet ruled at West London Magistrates' Court that his illness was no defence.

Mr Sweet said of the text messages: "While some were quite normal there are others that in my view would cause alarm to the recipient, particularly where the people were not known to each other.

"I heard evidence from Sophie Anderton. It was clear to me that she was distressed and alarmed by the text messages sent by Mr Davis."

The 32-year-old model told Kingston Magistrates' Court last month she was "practically hysterical" when she reported the matter to police on March 27 last year.

Mr Sweet said that at the time Davis was interviewed by police last year, he was not in the manic phase of the illness.

He said: "Mr Davis's illness does not give him a defence. I'm satisfied he has started to make a recovery, and that he was aware of what he was doing in that sending the texts would amount to the harassment of Ms Anderton."

Davis, of Old Park Avenue, Enfield, Middlesex, has been previously convicted of harassment, in 2001. He has suffered from bipolar disorder since 1968.