David Beckham sent ‘threatening’ letters from stalker who turned up at his homes, court hears | Ents and art news

A woman has been detained under the Mental Health Act after sending David Beckham “threatening” letters and turning up at his home, leaving him worried about what she was “going to do next”.

The former Manchester United and England star, 47, was targeted by Sharon Bell, 58, between July and November last year.

Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard how she sent the star letters before visiting the Oxfordshire and West London homes he shared with wife and former Spice Girls singer and fashion designer Victoria Beckham, 48.

“It made me worry about what she was going to do next,” he said in a statement read by prosecutor Arizona Asante.

On July 5 last year, Bell sent a handwritten letter to Beckham’s home in Oxfordshire, saying she planned to visit the property in a few days.

“I got your address from the detective agency, I hope you don’t mind. I have feelings for you David,” it read.

“Victoria owes me money, David, because she said she’s been robbing my bank account for years, which isn’t very good. I would be grateful if she wasn’t there.’

The court heard that Bell was “assertive” when she arrived at the property on July 9, but left after security officers told her it was the wrong address.

Another letter was sent to the Beckhams’ home in Holland Park before Bell turned up on September 9.

“Please stay close or someone will go to the press and say you both have my numbers. It won’t look good because you have an OBE,” the letter said.

“You said if I wrote to you first and was unarmed (which I am) I could come in for a chat and a cup of tea (Earl Gray is my favorite tea). I really want to talk to you, so please can I come in and talk?”

The letter also referred to TV presenter Richard Madley’s home and said: “I’m not going to get on you.

“I just want to talk to you. You owe me this David (PS I would love to be with you when you have brain surgery to give you some new brain cells) and your friend Tom Cruise has really upset me David.

“He did some horrible things to me.”

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In a third letter sent in October, Bell said: “I love you, and have loved you since I was a child.”

Beckham said he had never met Bell and spoke of his concerns about her “escalating” behaviour, which he believes is becoming “erratic and unpredictable”.

“I felt that the language in the letter was escalating and becoming more emotional and threatening towards me and my family, and that worried me,” he said.

“The letters became more and more threatening and obviously the woman knew where I lived.”

Bell, of Boundary Way, Watford, was charged with stalking but did not face a criminal trial because she has a mental disorder.

District Judge Michael Snow said he was convinced she had committed a criminal act and ordered Bell, who appeared in court via video link, to be detained under the Mental Health Act.

He referred to the “pretty scary idea” that she was researching Beckham’s address and the “horrible words” used in her letters.

“He feared for the safety of his family, worried about what Ms Bell might do next,” the judge added.