A homeless man who “fell in love” with his careworker has been banned from contacting her - and a co-worker he threatened - for 18 months.

Delroy Walker, 45, who now resides at Carminia Road, Tooting, was given the 18 month restraining order preventing him from contacting both victims and placed under community supervision for a year, when he appeared at South Western Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

Prosecutor Lynn Sheppard said Walker was assigned careworker Selina Francis when he entered the Single Persons Homeless Project in Queenstown Road last year, but soon his actions became “inappropriate”.

“On one occasion he went to her office in just a towel and on another occasion left the door open when he had a bath,” Mrs Sheppard said. “Another time he stared for long periods through the office window at her and on another occasion sent her a Christmas card with inappropriate comments in it.

“She became uncomfortable with the relationship and requested to be reassigned.”

The court heard Walker was then given careworker Kevin Boyd as a replacement but accused him of “being homosexual” and breaking up his relationship with Mrs Francis.

In one incident Walker threatened Mr Boyd and was seen to be carrying a knife.

Mrs Sheppard said: “It appears he believed Mrs Francis was hiding her true feelings for him . . . and he said he was in love with her.”

When police arrested Walker they found a four-inch kitchen knife in his pocket.

Magistrate Elizabeth Huhne consulted a medical report into Walker’s condition before sentencing him.

Along with the restraining order she also gave instruction for the knife to be destroyed.