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Keira: "Worst Nightmare" |
An oddball fan of Hollywood actress Keira Knightley, who “meowed” through the letterbox of her £3.9m north London home, has received a suspended prison sentence.
Wannabe musician Mark Edmund Revill, 49, of Glebe Road, Hackney also posted notes and sketches until he was finally chased away by the star’s husband.
He pleaded guilty at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court to stalking the The Pirates of the Caribbean, Atonement, and Imitation Game star between August 1 and October 22.
Revill, who has expressed his love for the actress, was sentenced to eight weeks imprisonment, suspended for twelve months.
He was also prohibited from contacting her for an indefinite period and banned from going within 100 metres from her Islington home.
The court heard a statement from the star, who said: “I’m scared every time I go outside,” describing potential harm to her 18 month-old daughter Edie as her “worst nightmare.”
She added: “We loved living in this borough. My family enjoyed visiting local shops and playing in local parks and being close to the heartbeat of London.
“We are now looking to move house outside the borough. We had hoped our child would go to school here.
“When I return home I have to look behind me, concerned I don’t know who might be in the shadows.”
He persistently visited the five-bedroom 2,800 square foot house in the Canonbury conservation area, even chalking an arrow on the pavement toward’s Keira’s front door.
The 31 year-old Teddington-born star shares the home with husband, former Klaxons musician James Righton, 33, and Edie.
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Revill: Convicted Flasher |
“It’s a celebrity stalking case. Keira Knightley is a well-known Hollywood actress and this defendant has developed an infatuation and embarked on a course of conduct,” said prosecutor Miss Simma Khan.
“Once the conduct made her become uncomfortable she felt unsafe.” Lawyers warned Revill to stop pestering the star, but were ignored.
“He’s using chalk and drawing on the pavement and there is an arrow pointing to the front door and he is personally delivering letters to the address.
“He lifted up the letterbox and started making ‘meowing’ sounds.”
The final incident ended with husband James confronting Revill, who has a conviction for flashing a female hospital worker he became obsessed with.
“Keira Knightley’s husband gives chase, telling this defendant off about his behaviour.
“It’s made the victim uncomfortable,” added Miss Khan, explaining the actress watched Revill chalking outside her home for an hour.
Regarding the hand-delivered messages she said: “One is a postcard with three cats winking and attached is a USB containing music about cats, which is odd.”
Keira’s mother revealed she had kept two more notes that were hand-delivered a secret to spare her daughter even more anxiety.
“It was the same handwriting, same unusual content that happened before. She did not tell her because she did not want to cause alarm and stress.”
One note read: ‘Have you listened my music?’ “As the complainant’s husband is a musician maybe that was for his benefit.”
Refill, who has previously received mental health treatment, has been in custody since arrested and Miss Khan added: “He said in open court he was in love with the victim.
“He made an admission to the officer that he was infatuated.”
Refill’s lawyer Mr. Bharat Gupta told the court his client did not receive any warnings from Keira’s lawyers. “Mr. Revill doesn’t agree with everything in the Crown’s case.
“It was in August when he first saw her and realises she lives there. He was just passing and found out where she lives.
“He himself is a music composer and on the day of his arrest he was playing guitar at home.
“His main purpose was to promote his music and there’s an attraction there as well as there is for many men.”
At one time the Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated actress was reportedly the second highest-paid actress in Hollywood and she has been plagued by at least six stalkers.