A man who believed Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas was his aunt has been given a suspended sentence for stalking.
Kyle Shaw, 37, launched a “sustainable campaign of contact” by sending messages and threats to the dancer, her friends and colleagues because he believed her late brother David Rich was his father, Liverpool Crown Court heard on Tuesday.
Shaw was sentenced to 20 months in prison, suspended for 20 months, after he pleaded guilty to stalking Ballas, 64, causing serious harm or suffering, between August 31, 2017 and November 29, 2023.
He was given a lifetime restraining order banning him from contacting Ballas, her niece, mother and ex-partner.
Prosecutor Nicola Daly said: “He believed, and it is clear from what his mother told him, that her late brother was his father.”
The court ruled that there was no evidence to prove his belief was wrong, but there was “limited evidence” that he was right.
Ms Daly said in his messages Shaw accused Ballas of being responsible for the death of her brother, who committed suicide in 2003 aged 44.
He also created social media accounts in her brother's name.
The court heard that in 2019 he approached Ballas' mother, Audrey Rich, 86, while she was shopping in the Wirral, prompting Ballas to move her mother from Merseyside to London.
The court heard he told Ms Rich she was his grandmother and continued to follow her around the shop when she would not speak to him.
The court heard that in Mrs Rich's messages Shaw asked: “Where is my dad?”
Shaw, wearing a white shirt and tie and a black coat, wiped away tears at times during the hearing and cried in the dock as Judge Gary Woodhall announced the verdict.
The court was told Ballas contacted police in October 2020 after he texted her: “Do you want me to kill myself, Shirley?”
The court heard Shaw posted messages on Twitter that included an image of the TV star's home address and the message: “You've ruined my
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
