Woman's 'itch' boast over TV star

Sandra Price said her "healing techniques" could help the actor

A Norfolk woman accused of harassing television star Martin Shaw boasted she was an "itch he could not get rid of", a court has been told.

King's Lynn Magistrates' Court heard Sandra Price, 66, of Hingham, allegedly sent "intrusive" letters to the actor.

Ms Price was arrested after petrol was poured through the letterbox of his partner, Karen da Silva, last July. Ms Price has admitted criminal damage in relation to that incident but denies harassment between 2003 and 2008.

The court heard Ms Price delivered a 45-minute audio tape to 63-year-old Mr Shaw's 17th century cottage and also left a 120-page dossier on his doorstep.

'Holistic medicines'

The document, which detailed the actor's career, spoke of how Ms Price had "started to laugh at how much she had got under Shaw's skin" after she was issued with a restraining order in November 2005.

In it she described herself as an "itch he could not get rid of, no matter how hard he scratched".

She said she first became aware of Mr Shaw in November 2004 when watching an episode of Judge John Deed.

"I found him interesting," she told the court.

She said she had read an article in which the actor made reference to "holistic medicines" and felt there were "parallels" between herself and Mr Shaw.

"I was very concerned about his health and his well-being over a long period," said Ms Price. "I felt I could help this man."

Martin Shaw is said to have received letters after his marriage broke up

She said she wrote seven letters to him throughout 2005 offering her "healing" techniques to him.

She later delivered a cassette tape to the actor's home and, in February 2007, dropped off the 120-page dossier.

She said she would park her Peugeot car close to his house in the hope of speaking to him.

"I wanted to talk to him about his healing," Ms Price said.

"I thought if I parked there, one day he might stop."

In November 2005, officers warned her not to park outside Shaw's house, walk past it or write letters to him.

The court heard Mr Shaw spotted her crouching in a ditch close to his home in spring 2008.

But the accused said she did not recall the incident adding that it was possible she had been replacing a contact lens while "huddled up" close to the ground.

The case continues.