Stalker told to avoid Street stars

Tracy Shaw in the soap: Harassed for five years

A man obsessed with three Coronation Street actresses has been ordered by a court to stay away from the stars for five years.

Kevin Sedgwick was told to stay away from Tracy Shaw, who plays hairdresser Maxine, Jacqueline Pirie, who plays Linda Sykes and Jennifer James, barmaid Geena Gregory.

Sedgwick pleaded guilty at a hearing in August to harassing Shaw, 26, over a period of five years.

Actress Jacqueline Pirie plays Linda Sykes

Two further charges of harassing James and Pirie were withdrawn on the understanding that a restraining order would also protect them.

District Judge Miriam Shelvey gave Sedgwick a two-year conditional discharge and banned him from contacting the three actresses either in person or by letter, phone, fax or e-mail for five years.

He is also banned from entering an area of the city centre which covers the studios, the flats where the three actresses live and the health club they use.

You need to understand [that] the way you behaved towards Miss Shaw was very distressing for her

District Judge Miriam Shelvey

The judge told Sedgwick: "What you need to understand is this, the behaviour, the way you behaved towards Miss Shaw was very distressing for her."

Sedgwick would travel 25 miles almost every day to pester the stars outside the Granada studios in Manchester.

He bombarded the women with "love letters" and tried to make Shaw kiss him.

Jennifer James is a newcomer on the Street

Shaw was forced to change her route to work and other daily routines in order to avoid him.

She told police: "I am constantly looking over my shoulder."

In April of this year all three actresses contacted the police and Sedgwick was warned under the 1997 Protection from Harassment Act.

in July he sent Shaw another letter and was then arrested by police at his home.