Former Coronation Street and Hollyoaks star Adam Rickitt was left living in fear of a stalker who told him he ‘fantasised’ about raping a child during a year-long terror campaign, a court heard.

The 47-year-old actor and singer, who runs a pub in Knutsford, Cheshire said he barred Ron Kleihues and called police over the threat.

But he was hounded with letters and messages warning him, ‘If you persist in preventing me from entering your establishment, I will dismantle all that you stand for’.

Mr Rickitt, who played Nick Tilsley in Corrie and Kyle Kelly in Hollyoaks, felt preompted to place 52-year-old Kleihues in a headlock when he arrived at the bar uninvited and menaced staff – one of whom he became fixated with, ‘declaring his love’ for her. 

The actor also made safety arrangements for himself and wife Katy after fearing Kleihues would ambush and stab them in the street.

Mr Rickitt, who had to go on anti-anxiety medication, told the court: ‘My big fear was not doing enough and that a child was going to get raped because I had not managed to get him stopped.

‘I asked if he had raped a child and he replied “no” but said “the demons” were keeping him awake at night.

‘It was going through my head every day and I felt incredibly guilty that a child was at risk. I had a general sense that he was obviously dissolved mentally. 

Coronation Street and Hollyoaks heart-throb Adam Rickitt, 47, pictured with his wife Katy

Mr Rickitt played Nick Tilsley on Coronation Street from 1997 to 1999 before making several more appearances, in 2022, and again from 2003 to 2004

‘My fear was also that he would attack us. I would not let my wife walk home alone and I was scared for the staff.’

Crewe Magistrates Court heard how Mr Rickitt – who runs the Dexter and Jones bar in Knutsford, Cheshire, with former Good Morning Britain presenter Katy – was contacted in 2024 by Kleihues who was working at the nearby Legh Arms.

‘I thought he was going to ask for a job but he asked if I was hacking his telephone and emails,’ Mr Rickitt said. 

‘I said, “I am not, that is stupid” and he left but then a few months later he again asked to meet with me and one of our regulars and also a number of staff.

‘I assumed that it was for the same stupid reason but although I agreed to have the meeting I had a bad feeling about it. I found him quite odd and I did record the whole conversation.

‘I said, “Please tell me it is not about the stupid hacking thing”, but we went into an hour and a half conversation where he confessed to watching child porn and fantasising about raping a child.

‘He said he had not done anything to a child but he was finding it harder and harder not to. I contacted 999 and explained he was not welcome at Dexter and Jones any more and that he should seek help.

‘I started to speak about how his mother could help but he became aggressive and threatening. He said I should not mention his mother’s name.’

The court heard that despite being barred and being spoken to by police, Kleihues insisted on turning up uninvited at Mr Rickitt’s pub and became fixated with members of staff.

The actor added: ‘He started declaring his love for (a member of staff) and said it was my fault for holding him back. He was in love and all he wanted was a chance of happiness but said it it was me denying it.’

One letter Kleihues wrote to Mr Rickitt said: ‘Every time I get close to someone someone steps in to say one thing or another the opportunity of partnership is taken away.

Mr Rickitt runs Dexter & Jones, in Knutsford, Cheshire, with Katy

‘Dexter and Jones has shown me that I can gradually make many friends and I do believe I can find love there too. I am somewhat smitten by her and my my personal calculation, she still owes me a walk. 

‘If my observations are incorrect, that makes me a romantic fool but how you move on from here is up to you. A walk is just a walk.’

But in email replies to Kleihues, Mr Rickitt said: ‘Please seek help. You are upsetting a lot of people. 

‘I am sorry that you are not well. You are really scaring them. You need help to be safe. I strongly suggest that you seek it.

‘Please do not contact the team. Please stay away. I am genuinely sorry that you are going through stuff. It is unfair to make other people scared to live their life.’

A recording of one of their conversations was played to the court in which Mr Rickitt told Kleihues: ‘l am bothered about your mental wellbeing and what you need to do is get some professional help. I cannot help you. 

‘I am not a medical professional. You need proper help. I am not saying that to be derogatory or mean – you deserve proper help.’

He added: ‘Why are you doing this to us? What have we ever done to you mate, honestly? You are just being really mean to us for no reason. It’s not funny Ron.

‘You are being scary to those people. There are 67 million people in the country, why are you fixated on those two or three people?

‘As I say please stay away from the bar and seek some proper help. Can you please do that? 

‘I suggest you speak to your mum and speak to your sister. I am not being horrible, please stay away from the bar.’

Mr Rickitt said that on Christmas Day when the bar was closed he and his wife Katy had gone there for a celebratory drink as part of an annual ritual to reflect on their year – only to find a letter for them written in stencils.

‘It was a letter basically saying that he was going to end me if I kept on insisting denying him happiness,’ he said. 

‘At a Christmas event, a family oriented event, it was my day off, my one day off when staff rang me to say he had forced entry.

‘They asked him to leave but he refused and I ran in. For the next 20 minutes to half an hour I asked him myself to leave. 

Mr Rickitt, pictured here as Corrie’s Nick Tilsley, with Jane Danson as Leanne Battersby

‘I said, “It’s a family day – children are here and I am not comfortable with you being here”, but he just refused.

‘I tried to pat him down to see if he was carrying a knife because at this point my biggest concern was that he would try to stab one of us. 

‘I could not be sure if he had a knife. I took his glasses off in case they broke and I put him in a head lock and took him outside.

‘Police did come but he returned a few days later and started banging on the windows. He would stop me in the street, post letters to me in the bar and contact the other bar owners in the town. 

‘There were multiple very bizarre and threatening messages on Facebook where he would rant and then delete it the next day but very much targeted at me.

‘We did try to reach out to his family but were told in no uncertain terms to butt out. I ended up having to go on anti-anxiety medication. My physical well being was down and I had convulsions during the night from stress.

‘My wife and I had arguments and I became very scared for my staff. I was always trying to make them comfortable by not letting on how worried I was and I used to say it is me they are coming after. 

‘But my concern was that he would attack either myself or one of the staff members. It would not be a case of face to face confrontation. It would be running behind you and stabbing you.’

Telling the court that he and his wife can’t have children, Mr Rickitt told the court: ‘Our staff are our children. We have given deposits for their houses. These are not just members of staff. They are our family.

The court heard Kleihues emailed Mr Rickitt saying he had been arrested by police but bragged it was a ‘waste of taxpayers money’ and that it was ‘farcical and comical’.

When the actor again suggested he seek help, Kleihues retorted: ‘I am totally fine’.

One of the bar staff told the court: ‘I was really scared for a while, especially when the letters and things and texts kept coming in, that I would not be safe working on my own. 

‘I am just lucky that work started to put other people on shifts with me so that I would not be alone. 

‘But every time I got a text I did not know if it was going to be him. I got nervous that he would turn up.’

Kleihues, who lives in Knutsford, initially denied wrongdoing but pleaded guilty to stalking and harassment after hearing the actor give evidence. 

He faces up to 16 weeks’ custody under sentencing guidelines when he is sentenced next month. 

He was bailed on condition he does not contact Mr Rickitt and his staff and not to enter his bar.