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David Beckham was “frightened” for his family’s safety after an alleged stalker who believes she is the mother of his daughter turned up at the child’s school, a court has heard.
Sharon Bell, 58, is said to believe that Beckham and his wife Victoria stole her eggs and that 10-year-old Harper is her legitimate child.
The court heard how she is also under the delusional belief that she was in a relationship with the former Manchester United and England footballer.
She turned up at Harper’s primary school in an attempt to speak to her and was there when Victoria arrived to collect her daughter, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard.
David Beckham with his daughter, Harper
After allegedly sending a series of letters to the Beckhams’ homes in Oxford and London, she also tried to visit the addresses in July and September last year.
Bell, from Watford, previously pleaded not guilty to a charge of stalking and is facing trial on 12 July.
At a hearing on Friday, prosecutor Arizuna Asante said Beckham “felt threatened, he felt frightened for the safety of his family, and he believed this behaviour was targeted and intimidating”.
“He says he does not know the defendant and she is not the mother of his children,” he said.
Bell did not attend the hearing. The court heard she is currently in hospital, where she has been sectioned.
Her lawyer, Lisa Wilson, said that if Bell is not found to be insane by the court then the Beckhams – who will be on holiday during the trial – should be called as witnesses so they can be questioned about the claims.
She said this would include putting the suggestion to former Spice Girl Victoria that she “conspired with David Beckham to steal the eggs of Sharon Bell”.
However, District Judge Michael Snow described the claim as “absolutely bizarre” and said it would amount to “further harassment of the Beckham family”.
“There is a risk of the family suffering further harassment, alarm or distress because of delusional allegations being put to them,” he said, adding it is in the interests of justice that their statements be read.
He extended a civil interim stalking protection order until the end of the proceedings, which he said were likely to result in a hospital order.
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