Former Sun Page 3 model was ‘disturbed by harassment’ by Northampton man
A FORMER page 3 model has spoken out after a Northampton man was given a prison sentence for harassing her.
Peter Underwood, aged 51, of Elizabeth Walk, appeared in Northampton Magistrates’ Court on January 30 and pleaded guilty to the harassment of 1980s’ Sun newspaper pin-up, Caroline Christensen.
Speaking to the Independent On Sunday, the 50-year-old pin-up said her confidence had been shattered by what she called a “life-changing experience”.
The court heard Underwood first sent letters to the model’s home address in 1982 after he claimed he saw her at Northampton bus station in November that year.
She said: “He says he saw me at a bus stop in Northampton, but I’ve never been to Northampton, so it’s either something he’s fantasised about or mistaken identity.”
He made repeated attempts to contact the victim over the next 30 years by sending letters to another Page Three model; searching online to locate her family members; contacting the Jersey Tourist Board, where he thought she was living; contacting a rally club her husband belonged to; and hiring a private investigator, the court heard.
Ms Christensen said that in her days as a topless model she would often get “polite fan mail” but said her first letter from Underwood was “slightly disturbing.”
She added: “I ignored it, and then I received a subsequent letter which had an angrier tone that caused me to be alarmed, so I called the police. They went to his address and gave him a warning. I didn’t hear from him again, so that was the end of that.”
However the court heard his last attempt to contact her was by handwritten letters he sent to the publishing company of her debut novel, Shadows Over Time, which was released last year.
She said the letters had a “very traumatic” effect on her and added: “They were delusional. He indicated more self-harm than harm towards me, but that was disturbing in its own way.”
Underwood pleaded guilty to harassment and was given a six-week prison sentence suspended for 18 months, as well as supervision and restraining order.
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Removed by moderator
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 11:46 AMSo why are you drawing attention to yourself? What is a 50 year old pin up?
willi eckaslyke
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 11:30 AMPerhaps if she was to send him a more recent topless picture of herself...Could do the trick.
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