Man cleared of harassing actress

Last Modified: 28 Mar 2008
Source: ITN

A childhood acquaintance of actress Samantha Morton has been cleared of harassing her.

But Noel Watts was handed a restraining order preventing him from contacting the Oscar-nominated star.

The 42-year-old from Clifton, Nottingham, was found guilty of harassing Morton's agent Nicola Van Gelden after "frightening" her with texts and phone calls meant for the actress.

District Judge Quentin Purdy at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court sentenced Watts to 12 weeks in prison although he will go free because he has already served 62 days on remand.

Watts escaped the charge of harassment against Morton because only one text was forwarded on to her after her agent decided it was better not to alert her.

"This type of offence is serious. It causes people great anxiety. I've seen the witnesses, I've heard them," the judge told Watts.

"It's clear to me that Nicola Van Gelden is clearly a person of some character.

"She was clearly caused a great deal of anxiety by the persistence of this communication... it seems to me that you knew that very well and continued to communicate."

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