A 31-year-old man has been found guilty in California of stalking the film director Steven Spielberg.

Prosecutors had alleged that Jonathan Norman had intended to tie up the director and rape him in front of his wife and family, when he was arrested at Mr Spielberg's home last July.

Steven Spielberg: Norman was "on a mission" to rape him.

The director was away at the time, but detectives searched Norman's car and found handcuffs, sticky tape, razor blades and a notebook stuffed with photographs of the director, his wife the actress Kate Capshaw, and their seven children.

Prosecutors described it as a "rape kit", and said Norman was sexually obsessed with the film-maker and wanted to attack him.

During the trial, Mr Spielberg told the court that Norman "was on a mission" and that he would not be satisfied until he had accomplished it.

Under California's stalking laws, Norman would normally face four years in prison. But because he already has two previous convictions, under the state's Three Strikes Rule he now faces anything from 25 years to life.

His sentencing will take place at a later date.
 

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