Man who stalked Bond star Naomie Harris gets suspended sentence
A man who stalked the James Bond star Naomie Harris has been freed after being handed a suspended sentence, given a restraining order and required to undertake treatment.
Ii Ovisyonairo Ii, from Canterbury, tracked Harris down to her north London home, leaving her “absolutely petrified”, after first making contact with the actor’s mother.
The 37-year-old, originally from Denmark, appeared on her doorstep in February, having previously sent her a scented letter the day before Valentine’s Day.
The 11-page note was written on red paper, with varying black fonts throughout, and was signed “with unconditional love from your compassionate companion”.
When he turned up at the star’s home address two weeks later, on 28 February, the actor suffered a panic attack, a court in Wood Green, north London, heard.
Ii, who had admitted two counts of stalking Harris and her mother on 4 June, was sentenced on Friday to 21 months in prison suspended for two years. He must also:
Abide by an electronically monitored curfew at an address in Poole, Dorset.
Undertake 50 hours of rehabilitation including psychological intervention by the Stalking Threat and Assessment Centre.
Wear a GPS tag for 12 months.
Not travel more than 20 miles from the new address for 12 months.
Complete up to 300 hours of unpaid work.
Not contact either of the two victims directly or indirectly.
Judge Noel Lucas QC told Ii: “I’m sure Miss Naomie Harris found it very distressing to find you on her front doorstep.”
He added: “Both Naomie Harris and her mother are entitled to live their lives without being stalked.”
Ii, who has Asperger’s, began his attempts to contact Harris when he made an appointment to attend a Reiki healing session run by her mother, Carmen Harris, in October last year.
The actor’s mother was said by Lucas to have been “anxious not to aggravate a troubling situation” when Ii later suggested it was his “human right” to make contact with her daughter, and expressed a desire to do so on 11 November, which he wanted to be their anniversary.
Police traced down Ii, who previously changed his name by deed poll, to a farm in Kent, where they found pieces of red paper similar to those on which the note was written, as well as 49 images of Harris on a laptop, along with others of her home.
He had been in custody since being charged with the offences on 3 March and appearing before Highbury magistrates court on the same day.
Met police Det Insp Paul Ridley, said: “Today’s sentencing was the result of a focused investigation by my officers to protect the victims and bring the offender to justice. The judge clearly recognised the high degree of planning, deeply troubling and unsettling behaviour of the defendant.
“We are very pleased with this result, and that the defendant admitted his conduct. His offending really impacted upon the victims, who now ask for their privacy to be respected at this time.”
Harris, who will appear in the postponed Bond film No Time to Die next year, earned an Oscar nomination for her role in Moonlight. Her other film credits include Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, 28 Days Later and the Pirates in the Caribbean series.
