Harry Styles recalls terrifying encounter with stalker

Harry Styles’ told a court of his terrifying encounter with a stalker who lunged at him and demanded money as he tried to jog past him.

The former One Direction member, 25, claims he was stalked by Pablo Tarazaga-Orero for two months.

The 26-year-old Spaniard camped outside of the singer’s home and left messages in his letterbox, Hendon Magistrates’ Court heard.

Prosecutor Katie Weiss said: ‘This concerns serious alarm and distress caused to the defendant, Harry Styles, as a consequence of the erratic and frightening behaviour of this defendant.

Ms Weiss told the court that Tarazaga-Orero’s behaviour was intended to ‘force contact, directly or indirectly with Harry Styles.

‘He used a variety of methods to establish a relationship with him, including living outside his address, speaking to people , attempting to engage in conversation and grabbing him on the street,’ said Ms Weiss.

‘This defendant stalked Harry Styles and this had significant impact on his day to day life.’

The stalking began after Styles saw Tarazaga-Orero in the early hours of 10 March camped out in a bus stop outside of his Hampstead home, the court heard.

‘It was very cold and he saw the defendant outside,’ said the prosecutor.

‘Harry Styles offered him some money for a hotel and when he refused he offered him some food.’

Nothing was open that day, but Styles brought some food from a vegan cafe the next day and gave it to Tarazaga-Orero.

‘When he offered him that food the defendant said ‘Do you want to go to a restaurant with me’.

‘It was at that time the complainant began to consider there was something odd about the defendant and his behaviour,’ said Ms Weiss.

‘At this point Harry Styles became uneasy and decided not to engage any further.’

The court heard that police were called and they gave Tarazaga-Orero a verbal warning.

The Brit Award-winner’s security staff called homeless charities to try to arrange shelter for Tarazaga-Orero, but he refused offers for help.

Styles started noticing his stalker following him into his local pub on several occasions.

He also posted in one case money as well as notes demanding money into the star’s letterbox.

‘He said to the neighbour, Rafael Krezeszewsk, he had a vision he and Harry would in together in Ireland and that he was here to protect Harry,’ said Ms Weiss.

The behaviour escalated with Tarazago-Orero lunging at Styles and attempting to grab him while he was jogging in May.

Giving evidence from behind a screen Styles told the court he had seen Tarazago-Orero around the area before he approached him and offered him food.

‘I thought it was sad that someone so young, that anyone was sleeping rough at the bus stop when it was cold.

‘I felt sorry for him,’ said Styles.

‘That evening I pulled up in my car next to the bus stop and I offered him some money so that he could get a hotel or some food.’

Tarazago-Orero told Styles that he could not accept money for religious reasons.

When Styles asked him if he could get him anything to eat, he requested some edamame beans, which he found ‘a bit of a strange request’.

Styles told the court that after unsuccessfully driving around to find an open vegan restaurant, he informed some police officers a man sleeping rough might need help.

After spotting Tarazago-Orero, Styles brought him some food from a vegan cafe.

‘I passed him the bag of food through the window, at which point he asked me whether I wanted to go to a restaurant to eat with him,’ said Styles.

‘I found it to be a little odd.

‘Something about it, his facial expression made me feel uneasy and it was at this point I realised there was something not quite straightforward about this situation.’

The court heard Styles informed his security team about the Spaniard and they advised him to no longer engage with him.

But Styles would see Tarazago-Orero outside his home every day even after he was cautioned by police.

Ms Weiss asked the musician: ‘How did this make you feel?’

Styles replied; ‘Uncomfortable. I never really encountered that sort of behaviour before.

‘I see people on multiple occasions as part of, I guess, my job, but this felt different to any sort of interaction before.’

Styles told the court he became certain he was specifically followed by Tarazago-Orero after he started seeing him in his local pub.

The court heard how on two occasions Tarazago-Orero was seen stuffing objects into the celebrity’s letterbox.

One note read told Styles he was sleeping outside and asked for the money he had been originally offered for the hotel.

‘I felt sorry for him but at this point I felt very uncomfortable.

‘It was the first time since living there I felt unsafe in my home’ said Styles.

The court heard that the ordeal had made the star hire night security staff, use security locks and be a lot more apprehensive about security in his house.

Styles described a terrifying encounter with Tarazago-Orero while jogging in the park on the evening of 10 May.

‘He reached out his arm out and kind of lunged at me to try to stop me running,’ said Styles.

‘I don’t think he realised it was me before I was already kind of past him.

‘When I was about 50 yards away I turned around and saw him kind of watching me.’

The singer told the court that Tarazago-Orero confronted him on the way back from his run, demanding the money.

‘He tried to block the pathway, he kind of stood in front of me,’ said Styles.

‘I was pretty scared at this point.

‘I was on the phone with a friend and they became very concerned.’

Styles asked the other man to ‘please move’ and eventually ran around him.

Tarazaga-Orero, of no fixed address, denies stalking the star between April 6 and June 1 this year.

The trial continues.
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