A besotted cleaner who was locked up after harassing a Roman Catholic priest who now works in Heckmondwike has been told she must stay behind bars while medical reports are prepared on her.

Obsessed 42-year-old Bernadette Quinn was remanded in custody just over three weeks ago after a judge heard she had continued to pester Father Jonathan Hart despite being made the subject of a two-year restraining order.

After she admitted breaching that ban, she was given bail with a condition not to have further contact with the 35-year-old priest, who now works at Holy Spirit Church in Heckmondwike.

But during a hearing at Bradford Crown Court last month it was revealed she had carried on harassing him and Judge Roger Scott remanded her in custody to await sentence.

Quinn, of Dodge Holme Court, Mixenden, Halifax, was expected to be dealt with yesterday but Judge Geoffrey Kamil was told the probation service was unable to put forward any community-based sentence because there was no up-to-date medical information.

At a previous magistrates' court hearing it was said that Quinn began harassing Father Hart while he worked as an assistant priest at St Malachy's Catholic Church in Ovenden, Halifax. She bombarded him with letters and gifts including flowers, a jumper and a knitted bobble hat.

The magistrates heard that Quinn suffered from De Cleranbault's Syndrome - also known as erotomania - which causes a person, usually a female, to mistakenly believe that a man is in love with them.

Quinn's barrister, Neil Clark, stressed that in all other respects his client led a "perfectly decent and law-abiding life". He said she was a trusted cleaner who owned her own home and had never been in custody before.

"The impact of the previous three or four weeks in custody upon her has been enormous," said Mr Clark.

He urged Judge Kamil to consider granting her bail pending the preparation of the medical reports and he pointed out that she now recognised the priest no longer wanted any contact with her.

Judge Kamil ruled out dealing with Quinn's case yesterday because he indicated she faced a substantial prison sentence if no other penalty was available.

After hearing Mr Clark's application for bail he turned it down, saying: "I take the view that you shouldn't be granted bail because there is a risk of further offending and interfering with witnesses."

No new date was fixed for Quinn's sentence to take place.