Emma Raducanu no longer feels safe at home after a stalker visited three times and stole her father’s shoe as a “souvenir”, a court was told on Friday.

The 19-year-old US Open champion told police she felt her freedom had been taken away and she wanted to move home after a besotted former Amazon delivery driver tracked down her address and left notes, flowers and Christmas decorations.

Amrit Magar, 35, had seen her on television. On November 23 last year, he travelled to the London suburb where she lives with her parents, before asking strangers for directions to her home, according to the Daily Mail. He brought flowers and a note which read “nothing to say, but you deserve love”, which he had signed, adding the names of his wife Bina and their dog Logan.

Confronted by Raducanu’s parents, Magar said he was a delivery driver dropping off gifts from somebody else. On December 2, he posted a red envelope through the letterbox which contained a hand-drawn “map” illustrating that he had walked from Edgware, north London, along with a note saying “23 miles walked 4 you”.

Two days later, Magar returned with fairy lights and after decorating a tree in the garden, posted the remaining lights and spare batteries through the letterbox before entering the porch through an open door and stealing a trainer, apparently in the belief that it belonged to Raducanu. It actually belonged to her father, Ian, who recognised Magar from doorbell camera pictures.

Raducanu’s father said in a statement: “I received a notification on my phone from the Nest doorbell. I went outside and could see a male stood on the pavement. He began running away.” He followed Magar to a bus stop where he called the police.

On Friday, Magar was found guilty of stalking by district judge Sushil Kumar of Bromley magistrates’ court, southeast London.

“His inability to explain how he did not think this was harassment is incapable of belief,” judge Kumar said.

Magar, who said he was “ashamed”, was granted bail before sentencing and told not to contact Raducanu or her parents or visit their street.

Speaking to officers over the telephone last month while preparing for the Australian Open, Raducanu said: “Since all this has happened, I have felt creeped out. I feel very apprehensive if I go out, especially if I am on my own. Because of this I feel like my freedom has been taken away from me. I am constantly looking over my shoulder. I feel on edge and worried this could happen again. I don’t feel safe in my own home.”

Agencies and our correspondent in London