Actress Halle Berry has won a three-year restraining order against a man whom she claims was sending her threatening letters.
The man, a San Francisco security guard named in court as Robert Sawyer, did not attend yesterday's hearing, in which the judge ordered him to stay away from the home and workplace of Berry and to stop phoning, e-mailing or writing to her.
In court papers Sawyer said that his contact with the actress had been the result of a case of mistaken identity and possible fraud and asked Berry for forgiveness.
Sawyer claimed that he made contact with Berry after he met a woman who introduced herself as Halle Berry and asked him to write a manuscript for her.
He apologised for disturbing the actress, saying: "It was not my intention to do so."
According to the papers filed on behalf of Berry, Sawyer had written to Berry, saying that he wanted to spend Valentine's Day with her.
The papers also said that Sawyer wrote to the actress, saying: "Leave a message where I can reach you. I'm not playing now."
The judge issued a three-year restraining order against Sawyer.
