A stalker obsessed with violinist Vanessa Mae has been banned from London after allegedly breaking a court order to keep away from her.

Unemployed hospital engineer David Martin, 56, from Brighton, was arrested earlier this month after the musician's boyfriend Lionel Catalan told police he saw Martin in a street near her Kensington home.

Martin admitted harassment last year after bombarding the star with love letters and following her near her home.

But he has denied the latest charge, claiming he was in a neighbouring street.

Ms Mae, 25, shot to fame when still a teenager as a classical musician with a modern image. She is estimated to be worth £35 million after selling more than seven million albums worldwide.

Sarah Counsell, prosecuting, told West London magistrates in Kensington Mr Catalan had given a statement in which he said he had seen the defendant near Ms Mae's home last month.

She said "The initial offence deals with harassment over eight years, escalating from general letter-writing to stalking and taking details of where she was, what she did, to keeping an eye on what was going on and logging those details."

Martin is accused of breaching an indefinite restraining order imposed on Christmas Eve last year under the Protection Against Harassment Act.

During the court hearing yesterday he was told he remained subject to the order.

He was told he must not contact Mae or her fan club or attend any of her concerts.

He must stay at a bail hostel in London and can only enter the area of Greater London bounded by the M25 to visit court or attend appointments with his solicitor.

A date for his trial for allegedly breaching the restraining order has yet to be set.