Man accused of stalking model detained
BY MARTIN DAVEY EAST ANGLIAN NEWSPAPER

The kitchen porter accused of stalking supermodel Claudia Schiffer was detained under the mental health act last night after he collapsed in court.

Agostino Pomata, 33, who is accused of harassing the German beauty at her Suffolk mansion, was remanded to a mental health institution in Blackheath, London, for 28 days while psychiatric reports are carried out.

During a prolonged hearing at Sudbury Magistrates' Court yesterday , the Sardinian-born former employee of Caffe Uno , in Bury St Edmunds - who denies the offence - needed medical attention after collapsing in the dock.

The end of the hearing was carried out in his absence while magistrates decided to detain him under section 35 of the Mental Health Act 1983.

Pomata appeared at court in Sudbury having been arrested by police on Tuesday afternoon, near the supermodel's home, after he failed to show up at court Bury St Edmunds that day.

He faces a charge that between September 23 and November 12 he pursued a course of conduct which amounted to the harassment of Claudia Schiffer, who married film producer Matthew Vaughn earlier this year.

The court made the decision to remand Pomata in hospital after hearing from a mental health nurse and Dr Godfrey Reynolds, police surgeon for west Suffolk, about his state of mind.

Andrew Fitch-Holland, prosecuting, said the charges relating to a number of visits Pomata is alleged to have made to the superstar couple's home Coldham Hall, in Stanningfield, near Lawshall.

Mr Fitch-Holland said the celebrity couple had owned the hall since November 1.

However in a statement to police the previous owner, Jens Pilo, "details a number of occasions, six, in which he had contact with a man the Crown say is Mr Pomata".

Gregory Perrins, representing Pomata, agreed that there was a "clear need for psychiatric reports".

The case was adjourned until January 8 at Sudbury.