Bail denied for Shania Twain stalker

TORONTO, Oct. 19 (UPI) -- The 51-year-old former surgeon who pleaded guilty to stalking Canadian country and crossover singing star Shania Twain was denied bail in Toronto Wednesday.

Giovanni, or John, Palumbo went into an emotional outburst when Judge Richard Schneider denied him bail and ordered him held until his sentencing hearing Nov. 15, Postmedia News reported.

"You know you're all sick. I feel sorry for you. Your honor especially," he shouted at the judge.

On the second day of his trial Sept. 30, Palumbo surprised his defense lawyer by suddenly entering guilty pleas to charges of criminal harassment and breaching a court order to stay away from the 46-year-old singer.

He was arrested at a Twain concert in Toronto March 27, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. said.

His fascination with Twain emerged in 2009 when the singer complained he was sending her love letters, lurking near her cottage north of Toronto and showed up at her mother's funeral.

A mental health assessment by psychiatrist Dr. Helen Ward read into court records suggested Palumbo possibly suffers from a bi-polar and a narcissistic disorder, Postmedia said.