A HAMMER wielding burglar terrorised Coronation Street actress Stephanie Beacham at her £750,000 home, a court heard.
The Dynasty star, 75, was left shaking with fear after she was confronted by David Wilson, 57, at her apartment in Bayswater, west London, on September 25 last year.
Wilson threatened the star, demanding money and jewellery as he menaced her with the hammer.
He ordered her to go to another room and shut the door while he ransacked her home for her cash, gems, phone, cheque book and keys.
Wilson claimed he did not know whose home he was breaking into until he encountered the shocked actress.
Prosecutor John Traversi said: “She began to descend the staircase calling out "who is that?" and she saw the defendant at the bottom of the staircase.
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“He ran up towards her, running up to her holding a two-foot-long metal bar with some claw at the end.
“What she described was no doubt a jemmy used by burglars in time immemorial for breaking into premises.
“She had her phone in her hand he told her to drop it and go upstairs, she did as ordered and went to her bedroom.
“He said: "Give me your money". She emptied her wallet onto the bed. He said: "That's not all your money, give me your jewellery".
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“He found a silver bracelet in a chest of drawers.
“He saw an oriental chest and said; "There's your jewellery" and used the claw part of his jemmy and began sifting through its contents.
“As he did this he turned to Ms Beacham and raised his bar to his head in a striking motion and said; ‘Don't look at me’.”
CCTV footage shown in court saw the thug going into the cul-de-sac holding the jemmy.
Mr Traversi told the court Ms Beacham had “real fears for her life.”
Ms Beacham, who played Sable Colby in The Colbys and Dynasty, was not harmed in the raid.
'HYPER VIGILANCE'
But in an impact statement read to the court, Mr Traversi said: “The effect of this crime on Ms Beacham has been serious she has made a victim personal statement.
“She was asked how the crime affected her and she was able to say what she considered her safe cozy cottage no longer feels safe. She has weariness and has something called hyper vigilance.
“She came home and thought she heard a noise and went to her neighbour's house. She asked her neighbour to stand in the doorway and check there was no-one there.
“If he had been violent she doesn't know, she says, what she would have done if anything. She had to ask her partner to come get money out of the cashpoint. She is more aware of people in the street and more aware of contact with others.
He ran up towards her, running up to her holding a two-foot-long metal bar with some claw at the end.
“In relation to her employment, she found it very hard to learn her lines.
“She's an actor, she found it hard to concentrate and without the help of those working with her she would have found it difficult to fulfil her contract.
“She has always considered herself strong mentally. This has made her feel old and vulnerable.
“She has had to double her sleep medication. She has had nightmares and panic attacks and doesn't walk the dog anymore.
“Given the ongoing process she said that not talking about it had been hard, and talking about it to those in her close circle has been hard.
“She has had therapy provided by her work to get through it. It's been a struggle she says, but has continued with the help and support of those around her.
Wilson stole an Apple iPhone, a purse, an American Express Card, Barclays debit card, driving licence, chequebook, house keys and a pair of earrings.
The total loss to Ms Beacham came to £1,873 with £593 of that amount going towards replacing the security locks.
'ASHAMED AND EMBARRASSED'
Judge Martin Griffith said: “He walked into the cul-de-sac with planning. He just wanted to get something he could use to flog to buy more drugs.”
Claire Mawer, defending Wilson, said that Wilson feels “ashamed and embarrassed” by his behaviour.
She told the court: “The reality in Mr Wilson's life is that he has, since the age of 16, been in the grip of a very deep addiction to crack cocaine.
“He was beaten by his father and both his parents were functioning alcoholics and it is in that context that it is unsurprising that he fell into deep addictions from a young age and that addiction has ravaged his life since then.
“It is a drug addiction that has destroyed his life. He has an adulthood dominated by very serious offending. He faces coming to terms with a live drug addiction. It is impossible for me to comprehend how difficult that can be.
“He has expressed how utterly appalled he is of his behaviour and how distressed he is for finding himself yet again facing the consequences of serious offending.
“It is to his credit that he has settled himself on antidepressant medication and describes feeling the benefit from taking that medication.
“He is receiving drug counselling from the prison to give the opportunity to achieve some stability and gain better clarity and insight into the problems that have impacted his life.”
DYNASTY STAR
Ms Beacham achieved global stardom in the Eighties with her role in Dynasty.
She featured in 23 episodes of the US drama opposite Joan Collins and John Forsythe. The actress also appeared in 49 episodes of Dynasty spin-off show, The Colbys.
Ms Beacham later starred in BBC drama Tenko and has made guest appearances in Bad Girls and Casualty.
Most recently she returned as Ken Barlow's love interest in Coronation Street.
Judge Griffith told Wilson: “You had a very bad start off in life and addiction… You can see you have wasted your life which is a great shame.
“By in large the only period of time you do not have offences are when you are locked up.
“'I have no alternative to sentence you to a substantial amount of time in prison.”
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Wilson, of no fixed address, was sentenced to a total of ten years and five months in prison.
A charge of robbery and burglary both relating to offending at the time of entering Ms Beacham's home were ordered to lie on file.
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