Billie Piper stalker Philip Jerome jailed for 12 months after breaching order

Philip Jerome, 49, was sentenced at Basingstoke Magistrates' Court after pleading guilty to four counts of breaching a stalking prevention order protecting the actress.

Billie Piper stalker jailed after photos and posts found on phone

A 49-year-old man described as having a "sexual interest" in actress and former Doctor Who star Billie Piper has been sentenced to 12 months in prison, The Independent reports. Philip Jerome appeared at Basingstoke Magistrates' Court on his birthday to be sentenced after pleading guilty to four counts of breaching a stalking prevention order.

Prosecutor Anisa Alrubaie told the court that Jerome, of Winchester, Hampshire, was made subject to the stalking prevention order concerning Ms Piper on 21 July 2022. Officers inspecting his digital devices on 27 December 2025 found four photos of Ms Piper on his phone, along with 11 posts and images — including AI-generated pictures — tagged on X across four days earlier that month.

Among the content was a message posted on 7 December 2025 in which Jerome wrote: "I think I know which image probably made me fall for (Ms Piper), the GQ awards, and made me want to meet her. She is great without a bra too."

Ms Alrubaie noted that Ms Piper's X account is managed by a personal assistant, who does not routinely inform the actress of posts directed at her. "There is a significant amount of negativity that is not relevant and she doesn't need to be made aware," the prosecutor said.

The court heard Jerome was first placed under a restraining order in 2018 after attending Ms Piper's home address, putting cards through her door, and posting letters there. He breached that order the same year by sending Facebook messages to her mother and sister expressing a wish to meet, visiting her house, and commenting on her partner. A search of his home uncovered ringbinders filled with newspaper clippings, event details, and related merchandise.

In 2022, Jerome was jailed for 12 months after breaching the restraining order at a Comicon event, where he posed for photographs with Ms Piper twice on the same day, having changed his clothing between encounters. During the second meeting, Ms Piper recognised him and security removed him from the venue. He also has a 2012 conviction for harassment after targeting a female friend by sleeping outside her address in woodland.

District Judge Kirsty Allman, sentencing Jerome, said: "You have a sexual interest in Ms Piper making reference to her without having a bra on and so on. The motivation is to contact her in the hope she will engage in a relationship with you. You demonstrated an entrenched pattern of stalking and harassment offences, and failing to comply with court orders."

Defence solicitor Caroline Bonavia told the court that, absent the order, the posts "would be very similar to what a keen fan would post about a public figure", describing many as repeated images of Ms Piper's face arranged in an Andy Warhol style, sometimes with AI modifications. "The difference for him is that he must not do this and he accepts it," she said.

Ms Bonavia added that Jerome lacked remorse and empathy, had recently been diagnosed with autism, and had sought psychological support to address what she described as "obsessive and unsuccessful relationships". She concluded that his conduct "had moved a great deal away from what one would think were the terrifying elements", but acknowledged: "He needs to learn that fan or not, even this sort of posting is not permitted."

Source: The Independent