Delta Goodrem: Stalker James Lafferty bid to wipe guilty plea
A love struck fan who originally admitted to stalking national icon Delta Goodrem, penning the singer hundreds of poems and boldly trying to hand deliver her gifts, has sensationally tried to change his plea.
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A love struck fan who admitted to stalking Delta Goodrem, penning the singer hundreds of poems and boldly trying to hand deliver her Valentine’s Day gifts, has now sensationally told the court he is innocent.
James Joseph Lafferty, 47, represented himself at Downing Centre District Court on Wednesday where he applied to have his conviction overturned.
Appearing by videolink the South Grafton man, wearing jeans, a black T-shirt and beanie, said he never wanted to plead guilty and blasted the media for painting him as responsible for the creepy behaviour.
“I wanted to plead not guilty from the start,” he said.
Lafferty, when represented by a lawyer, pleaded guilty in February to a string of charges including stalking and intimidating Ms Goodrem, using a carriage service to harass, menace and offend her and refusing to comply with a police direction.
According the police facts tendered to the court, the South Grafton man sent the singer a series of Instagram messages including “please come down and meet me”, “I honestly love you Delta, my soulmate forever” and “James loves you Delta!”
Court documents claim he tried to leave gifts on Valentine’s Day but was turned away, before returning the next day and yelling “Delta” at the singer causing her to swiftly flee the building lobby.
Following his guilty plea, he was fined $600 and placed on a 18-month community corrections order.
Judge Dina Yehia ordered Lafferty to send a written explanation for why his previous plea of guilty shouldn’t stand, with the matter to be heard next month.