A town mayor has been convicted of stalking after penning unwanted love letters to a barmaid he'd become infatuated with - but accidentally sending them to the wrong woman. Police were left in no doubt who they were from as pensioner Graham Roberts, 72, included his business card, confirming him as first citizen of Whitehaven, Cumbria. The woman who received the letters took them to the police and Roberts, who describes himself as “a lifelong Conservative ”, was arrested at his home in the town.

He attended Workington Magistrates’ Court sporting a black pin-stripe suit and white fedora to admit stalking without causing fear and will be sentenced next month. Pamela Fee, prosecuting, said the distressed victim attended Whitehaven Police Station after being sent letters to her home address that she didn’t know who they were from. The woman returned to police on September 12 last year with further letters which were unopened.

When officers opened the missives they read one which stated that he loved her, that she was his "soulmate" and there was £40 in cash inside, along with a business card with the name Graham Roberts.

Roberts was subsequently interviewed and accepted that he had been sending letters to a younger woman who he believed worked at a pub in Whitehaven.

But the woman who was sent the letters had never worked at the pub, Ms Fee said.

She added that Roberts got the information for the "intended target" from the electoral roll, using his position as mayor, but got the wrong address.

Roberts' letter said he loved the pub worker adding he wanted to be with her to "love and protect" her.

The court heard he also made comments about things she had worn.

The woman who was the intended recipient of the letters told police that Roberts is a regular in the pub and described him as “part of the furniture” who would follow her around and try to engage her in conversation.

She said she would speak back in a friendly way but his behaviour “seemed strange” and was “very different” when she was alone compared to when she was with her boyfriend or male friends.

Ms Fee said Roberts accepted he had sent the letters and obtained the information about where he believed she was living.

He claimed he was in love with her and made full admissions to his behaviour.

The prosecution said there was cause for concern for both the woman who received the letters and the intended victim.

The woman who received the letters had stopped running at night because she was scared someone was watching her or following her and didn’t know where the letters were coming from.

Ms Fee said there was “some sophistication” in finding out the address, adding Roberts “used his position” to get the information from the electoral roll.

Mike Woolaghan, defending, said mitigation would be given in full when Roberts is sentenced.

He said while there had been some planning, it was “not especially sophisticated” but conceded there had been some distress caused to the women.

The case was adjourned to allow Roberts to be assessed for a mental health treatment requirement.

Roberts, of Aikbank Road, Whitehaven, will be sentenced on May 6. He was granted bail, with conditions not to contact the two named females, not to go to an address in Whitehaven and not to go to a named pub in Whitehaven.

After the offences came to light, Roberts announced he would be "stepping back" from his mayoral role.

In October last year he said: "I will be stepping back for a short while from my role as chairman and mayor of the council due to health problems.”