Ashley Roberts ‘didn’t feel safe’ after being targeted by stalker, court hears

By Henry Vaughan, PA

Ashley Roberts has told a court she “didn’t feel safe” and was left “looking over my shoulder” after she was targeted by a stalker who believed he was her boyfriend.

Lewis Langley, 47, is said to have blown kisses, smiled and giggled at the former Strictly Come Dancing star, 41, as she came and went from the radio station where she works.

Croydon Crown Court heard that he was known by Global Radio security guards as “the martial artist” because of his habit of performing exercise routines including high kicks, jogging on the spot and diving headers in Leicester Square, central London.

Prosecutor Alex Alawode said Langley “loitered” outside the building, where Ms Roberts said she saw him around 15 times between May and October last year.

Appearing by video-link, wearing a pink blouse, the Pussycat Dolls singer told how she felt “very uncomfortable” about his behaviour.

“I didn’t feel safe,” she said. “(His) behaviour – staring, smiling, giggling to himself, blowing kisses, it made me feel uncomfortable.”

Ms Roberts said security measures were stepped up as a result of Langley’s actions and she is now escorted to and from her car.

Langley was arrested in August last year, when the police told Ms Roberts he had mental health issues and believed he was in a “romantic relationship” with her, the court heard.

He was detained under the Mental Health Act but began returning to Ms Roberts’ workplace in October last year.

Recalling one occasion, Ms Roberts said: “I got in the car and the car started to drive along.

“I looked to my right and he was standing on the sidewalk blowing me kisses.

“He was blowing them at the window to my car.”

Asked how Langley’s behaviour made her feel, Ms Roberts said: “I just didn’t feel safe, I felt uncomfortable walking around, I was looking over my shoulder just to make sure he was not around or following me.”

Langley, of Thornton Heath, south London, denies stalking Ms Roberts.

He was also accused of repeatedly attending an address in Borough, central London, where he believed Ms Roberts lived, where he would sit on a chair staring into the building.

But prosecutors offered no evidence on a further charge of stalking the building’s manager, Anna Olivera, after the complainant refused to give evidence if she could be seen by journalists in court.

Mr Alawode said: “The defendant believed he was in a relationship with Ms Roberts, being a former member of girl band Pussycat Dolls and currently a radio DJ in central London.”

He added: “The defendant states he was not stalking the complainant but had good reason to be at those locations.”

The trial continues.