Hurley stalker suspect in court

Elizabeth Hurley

LONDON, England -- A man accused of stalking British model and actress Elizabeth Hurley has appeared in court 24 hours after the star gave birth to a son.

Petar Mihajlovic, who gave his address as Orchid Avenue, Hollywood, California, was charged under section two of the UK's Protection from Harassment Act 1997.

The charge against him is that "on or before April 4, 2002, you carried out a course of conduct which you knew or believed amounted to harassment of Elizabeth Hurley."

Mihajlovic, 32, was refused bail by District Judge Simon Cooper at West London Magistrates Court on Friday.

The case was adjourned for a week.

On Thursday, Hurley gave birth to a baby boy named Damian Charles.

The 36-year-old had announced she was pregnant last November naming Hollywood movie producer Steve Bing as the father.

She began an 18-month relationship with the multi-millionaire playboy soon after splitting from long-term love Hugh Grant, star of Four Weddings and a Funeral.

Bing was reported to want a DNA test to prove paternity, which could only be carried out once the baby was born.

But Hurley later expressed hopes that the matter could be resolved without resorting to lawyers.

"Unfortunately, it's all got very silly," she said. "It would be horrible to do anything legal and nasty and I hope it never will come to that. We are both nice people."

If the baby were proved to be Bing's, Hurley would be entitled to millions of dollars in child support until the child was at least 18.

Hurley has been supported throughout her pregnancy by Grant, with whom she split in 2000.

Hurley told one interviewer that she imagined being an over-protective mother:

"I'm going to be awful. I want a mummy's boy who sits on my knee all day and tell me he loves me."