Robert Beckman has admitted to stalking Strictly star Joe Sugg during a four-year campaign.
Brighton Crown Court heard that his repeated contact caused Joe serious alarm and distress. The 31-year-old’s campaign ran between August 2022 and August 2026, according to Metro.
Robert, from Michigan, used emails, letters and social media comments to contact the YouTuber. Some communications were sent from several locations, including Gatwick Airport.
He also travelled from the United States to Britain and continued contacting Joe, the court was told.
Joe Sugg suffered serious distress during stalking ordeal
The charge said the conduct caused “serious alarm or distress” and affected Joe’s everyday life.
It also described a “substantial adverse effect” on his usual day-to-day activities. Beckman’s contact was described as repeated, rather than a single incident.
The messages came through three separate channels over almost four years. The court heard the conduct stopped only one month before the September hearing.
The charge specifically concerned contact directed at Joe. Its wording focused on both the sustained contact and its practical consequences.
Robert Beckman faces sentencing next month
Robert will be sentenced next month. He was told that a prison sentence remains possible.
Joe, 35, was not in court to hear the guilty plea. The offence admitted was pursuing a course of conduct which amounted to stalking.
The charge was brought under section 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. It stated Beckman knew, or should have known, his conduct would cause alarm or distress.
The case now moves to sentencing, where the court will decide Beckman’s punishment. No sentence was imposed at the plea hearing.
Joe Sugg’s life after Strictly Come Dancing
Joe appeared in series 16 of Strictly Come Dancing in 2018. He was partnered with professional dancer Dianne Buswell, who had joined the programme one year earlier.
Dianne later lifted the Glitter Ball with Chris McCausland in 2024. Joe and Dianne announced in September 2025 that they were expecting their first baby together.
That announcement came before Dianne began another Strictly season with Stefan Dennis. It also arrived while Beckman’s campaign was still continuing, based on the dates presented in court.
Joe’s Strictly appearance came four years before the stalking campaign began. By its end, the conduct had spanned several later milestones in the couple’s public life.
Read more: Fresh blow for Ed Sheeran after revealing ‘worst week of his life’ amid Palestine controversy
What do you think of this story? You can leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFixand let us know. We want to hear your thoughts.