A Strictly Come Dancing star was bombarded with letters and emails by a stalker who flew from the United States to Britain in a horror four-year campaign, a court has heard.
The American man, named in court proceedings as Beckman, appeared in the dock of Court 1 at Brighton wearing dark trousers and a baggy grey sweatshirt, supported in court by his US-based father. He confirmed his name and pleaded guilty to both counts in a clear voice when they were put to him.
The first charge read: the defendant "pursued a course of conduct, namely sending multiple email, letters and social media comments, which amounted to stalking causing Joseph Sugg serious alarm or distress, which had a substantial adverse effect on his usual day-to-day activities when you knew or ought to have known that your course of conduct would cause alarm or distress." The alleged offence was contrary to section 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.
He also pleaded guilty to failing to hand over to investigators a key or passcode for his Apple iPhone 13. At the end of the 15-minute hearing, Beckman was remanded in custody.
Joe Sugg, 35, rose to fame in the 2010s as part of the British YouTube generation and lives with his partner, professional dancer Dianne Buswell, 37, in a large house near Brighton, East Sussex. In March 2026 they welcomed their first child together - a baby son named Bowden.
Joe and Dianne struck up a romance when they were paired together during the sixteenth series of BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing in 2018. Dianne was the first professional in Strictly's history to compete while pregnant, before her partner Stefan Dennis was forced to pull out due to injury in 2025.
The couple shared the news of Bowden's birth with a pregnancy reveal video poignantly set to Elton John's "Tiny Dancer." Dianne's post announcing the birth included a picture of their son in her arms, and she captioned it: "Never felt a love like it. Baby Bowden Mark Richard Sugg. 16/03/26."
The stalking case has shocked fans of the couple, who have been open about their family life online. Joe's sister, Zoe Sugg - known as Zoella - and her partner Alfie Deyes are also YouTube sensations, though they have vanished almost entirely from social media in recent years.
The case highlights the dark side of internet fame: how accessible high-profile figures can become to obsessive followers, and how harassment that begins with messages can escalate to international travel. The decision to remand Beckman in custody reflects the court's view of the seriousness of a campaign that spanned four years and two continents.
Sugg has not publicly commented on the case. Sentencing is expected to follow at a later hearing.