Delta Goodrem: James Lafferty pleads guilty to stalking singer
A love struck fan penned hundreds of poems to singer Delta Goodrem before arriving at her home on Valentine’s Day.
Wentworth Courier
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A love struck fan who penned more than 300 poems to musician Delta Goodrem and showed up at her home on Valentine’s Day has pleaded guilty to stalking.
South Grafton man James Lafferty, 47, appeared in the Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday where he pleaded guilty to the stalking charge.
Lafferty sent Goodrem 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!”
He then arrived at the singer’s unit on Valentine’s Day and tried to leave her gifts but was turned away by the building’s concierge.
The following day, Goodrem went downstairs to collect a dress when Lafferty yelled out “Delta, Delta”, causing her to leave the lobby quickly.
He pleaded guilty to stalking and intimidating Goodrem, using a carriage service to harass, menace and offend her and refusing to comply with a police direction.
Lafferty was staying with his mother in North Richmond to receive medical treatment in Sydney.
The court heard he had previous convictions dating from 1991 for assault, break enter and steal, drug possession, damage property, goods in custody, trespass, drink driving, intimidation and, in January last year, assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Magistrate Jane Mottley said the singer was “entitled to feel safe and secure” at her CBD address and that his Valentine’s Day gift “was not something that was welcomed by Ms Goodrem”.
She accepted Lafferty suffered depression and handed him an 18 month community corrections order and fined him $600.