Accused Twain stalker says he will plead guilty

OTTAWA: A doctor accused of stalking Canadian country pop singer Shania Twain -- even showing up at her grandmother's funeral -- told a Toronto court as his trial opened Thursday that he would enter a guilty plea.

Giovanni Palumbo, 51, was arrested in March on charges of criminal harassment and breaching a court order to stay away from the five-time Grammy-award winner.

According to public broadcaster CBC, as Twain testified via video-link, Palumbo suddenly stood up and blurted out, referring to Twain by her given name: "Eilleen, you can trust me. I'm going to plead guilty."

"I've been offended too much, your honor," he then reportedly said to the judge.

Prior to the outburst, Twain testified for nearly an hour that Palumbo's love letters and unexpected visit to her Ontario family cottage had unnerved her, prompting her to hire private security.

"I love you more than quotes can describe. I love you more than anything in the universe. I need you more than anyone else in the world," one of his letters to Twain reportedly said.

"How about we get together ASAP so we can get to know each other in person?" said another.

Twain testified that she hired a security detail after spotting Palumbo in a Lamborghini down the road from her cottage, local media said.

She also told the court that he had appeared at her grandmother's funeral and sent her flowers at her home in Switzerland.

Palumbo's ex-wife told Postmedia News that her ex-husband had created a Twain "shrine" in his Ottawa home with dozens of photographs of Twain and videotapes of her televised appearances.

The defense argued that Palumbo's actions were merely an expression of a fan's adoration for Twain, and that he was never harmful or threatening.

The trial was expected to last three days.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011