Man suing over Ryan 'stalker' tag

Meg Ryan's last film was Against the Ropes

A man who pleaded no contest to trespassing at a home he wrongly thought was Meg Ryan's is suing a TV network for calling him her stalker.

John Hughes is accusing E! Entertainment Television of libelling him on its network.

He says using the term "stalker" was libellous because he was convicted of a misdemeanour charge of trespassing at someone else's property.

Ryan took out a restraining order against Mr Hughes after the incident.

Court papers reveal Mr Hughes is seeking unspecified general and punitive damages and more than $25,000 (£13,758) in special damages.

Court date

Mr Hughes was arrested in 2002 after breaking into a Malibu home belonging to a couple named Ryan, who were unrelated to the actress.

He told police he had broken a window to get in because Ryan had forgotten to leave a key under the doormat, claiming at the time she was his fiancé.

In court he said he was taking medication and no longer thought he was attached to Ryan.

He was released into the custody of his father, who said he would ensure he sought psychiatric treatment.

Diane Morgan of E! Entertainment said she could not comment because she had not yet seen the legal action.

The alleged libellous comment was made on an E! segment in July 2004.