Ruth Tagg sent offensive T-shirts to Ken Dodd's partner

Ruth Tagg, 35, of St John's Crescent, Bedminster, Bristol, has admitted posting burning rags through Mr Dodd's door, and sending his long-term partner a dead rat.

At an earlier hearing, she was described as having a major psychiatric mental illness and complex personality disorder amounting to a psychopathic disorder.

On Tuesday Judge Simon Darwall-Smith, sitting at Bristol Crown Court extended an interim hospital order on Tagg until 22 September.

Offensive messages

Tagg will appear on that day at Manchester Crown Court for sentencing by Mr Justice Michael Morland.

Tagg pleaded guilty to arson and harassment at Preston Crown Court on 4 March this year.

At that hearing, the court was told that between July 2001 and May 2002 Tagg bombarded Mr Dodd with letters, cards and indecent photographs.

She sent a dead rat and T-shirts bearing offensive messages to the veteran comedian's long-term partner Anne Jones, whom Tagg saw as a rival for Mr Dodd's affection.

In October 2001, Tagg pushed burning rags through the letter box of Mr Dodd's Liverpool home, causing �11,000 damage. No-one was in the house at the time.