LOS ANGELES — An emotional Erin Andrews begged a judge yesterday to throw the book at her peephole predator, claiming she still has “nightmares” about the camera- wielding perv.
The ESPN reporter — her hair tied back in a pony tail and wearing black pants, a cream blazer and four- inch heels — told a hushed federal courtroom how she was “humiliated” by Michael David Barrett, 48, who secretly filmed her naked in hotel rooms across America.
“I’ve been embarrassed and my career has been ripped apart,” the ESPN pin-up told federal Judge Manuel Real. “I walk into a stadium and fans say obscene things to me.”
She added: “I have nightmares about this sexual predator. I walk in crowds and see him out of my peripheral vision.”
Barrett pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of stalking. Andrews asked Real to throw Barrett in jail immedi ately, but the judge al lowed him to remain free on bail.
Barrett is set to be sentenced Feb. 22 and he faces a maximum of five years behind bars.
Assistant US Attorney Wes Hsu said he’ll recommend a 27-month sentence.
Outside court, Andrews said she’s opposed to the plea bargain because Barrett should do more time.
“I want him to stay in jail as long as possible, he’s a threat to women everywhere,” said Andrews, adding that ESPN has had to hire a full-time body guard to travel with her on assignments.
Andrews said she’s upset that hotel clerks are not trained to keep names of guests secret. The sideline stunner claims she regularly calls hotels to test if they’ll confirm her stay — and they always do, Andrews said.
“I’m constantly looking around thinking he’s going to be there, even at my house,” she said.
Andrews’ lawyer Marshall Grossman claims they’ve been receiving tips from women across the country, claiming they, too, might have been secretly filmed by Barrett.
“There are well over a dozen other women who have been surreptitiously filmed and stalked. That will come out in the reports given to the judge.
“We are not supportive of the plea agreement. We expressed our feelings to the US attorney and the US attorney has his job to do.”
The ESPN babe sat behind the prosecution table and often leaned her head on the shoulder of her father, Tampa TV reporter Steve Andrews.
When Barrett stood up to plead guilty, Real read into the record all the dirty details of defendant’s efforts to film Andrews.
The sideline babe shook her head in disgust after Barrett admitted he posted footage of her on Google video pages with titles such as “Erin Andrews’ naked butt” and “Sexy and hot blonde sports celebrity shows us her all.”
It took Real 10 minutes to read all the details. Every few sentences, Real asked, “Did you do this?” and Barrett always responded “Yes, your honor.”
The Illinois insurance salesman tracked down Andrews to hotels in Columbus, Nashville and Milwaukee in 2008 and then secretly video taped naked footage of Andrews through reversed peep holes.
Andrews was on assignment in those cities, covering an Ohio State basketball game, a Vanderbilt football game and a Milwaukee Brewers baseball game, respectively.
Barrett then tried to sell the hot shots, using his sickening e-mail handle, handsfouryou@yahoo.com.
Additional reporting by David K. Li in New York