Woman convicted of stalking football star Rio Ferdinand

Stalker Susanne Ibru, 38, twice disturbed the Manchester United player and his wife while they were asleep, claiming she needed to speak to him.

She was convicted at Macclesfield Magistrates Court in her absence.

Ibru, who conducted her own defence, left court after being told Ferdinand’s wife Rebecca, 30, was excused from giving evidence after giving birth to their third child, a girl, at the weekend.

Earlier, Ibru had questioned England star Ferdinand in the witness box, telling him as he left the court: “I’ll see you soon, bye.”

A warrant was issued for Ibru by District Judge Nicholas Sanders, who asked for her to be brought back before him for sentencing.

He said it was “quite clear” to him that the prosecution case against her was proved.

He said: “Mr Ferdinand is a high-profile footballer and whilst there will always be occasions where he is exposed to public and Press scrutiny, the fact is that when he is in the privacy of his own home with his family he has a right to expect to be left alone.”

Ibru, who was living in Peckham, south London, made the 400-mile round trip to Ferdinand’s home in Alderley Edge, Cheshire, on February 21 last year, then again on June 16 and 18.

The 32-year-old Manchester United and England star told the court he was upset by the visits from the woman, whom he had never met.

“At first I was angry and upset but then disturbed, really, because I have got a young family and this was not the time or the place to be coming to speak to me,” the player said.

On the first occasion, Ibru disturbed the couple, who were asleep, by pressing the intercom buzzer at the gates to their driveway in the early hours.

Ferdinand called his club’s security who alerted police and Ibru left after being warned against harassment.

The second time, he was returning home at around 8pm when he saw her standing on the road opposite his house.

Police attended again and once more she was warned that she would face prosecution, but she turned up again two days later in the early hours of June 18.

Ibru again woke the couple and was arrested.