Pop star Harry Styles was left feeling “scared” and “very uncomfortable” after being stalked by a homeless man he “felt sorry for”, a court has heard.
The former One Direction singer offered to buy Pablo Tarazaga-Orero, 26, food or a hotel room after he saw him sleeping in a bus stop outside his London home.
The Spanish national allegedly posted notes and money through his letterbox, and followed him to the pub on several occasions.
He has denied one count of stalking between April and June this year, claiming Harry had offered him money to “have some fun” in a hotel.
The 25-year-old star said he went to the police after the defendant’s “erratic and frightening behaviour” left him feeling insecure at home.
Speaking from behind a screen, the Brit Award-winner told Hendon Magistrates’ Court on Monday: “Pablo was sleeping outside of my residence; I first became aware of him in March.
(Image: Getty Images)
“I thought it was sad that someone so young was sleeping rough at a bus stop when it was cold.”
Opening the prosecution case at Hendon Magistrates’ Court, Katie Weiss said: “His obsessive behaviour was intended to force contact directly or indirectly on the complainant Harry Styles.
“Including living outside his home address., speaking to people in the vicinity outside, posting notes and a grab while in the street.
“He now looks at fans very differently, wondering if there is more to them than he can see.”
On March 10, Mr Styles recounted: “It was around two o’clock in the morning. It was heavy rain, it was very cold.
” I saw Pablo sleeping again at the bus stop that evening I pulled up in my car next to the bus stop and offered him some money so he could get a hotel or some food. He was awake.
“He told me that he couldn’t accept the money for religious reasons. I asked him if he needed any food, he asked for some endamame.
“It being two o’clock in the morning on Sunday night, he told me he was vegan and there was not going to be any vegan options in anywhere open at that time.”
District Judge Nigel Deane heard how the next day, the singer bought the man two sandwiches, two salads and two muffins from a vegan cafe, but decided to stop interacting with him following an “odd” incident.
He told the court: “He asked me if I wanted to go to a restaurant to eat.
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“I told him I was on my way to work.
“I found it a little odd. His facial expression made me feel a little uneasy. It was like a smirk.
“Until that point, I never felt unsafe or uneasy in my own home.”
He told the court he saw Pablo at the bus stop 50 yards from his home “at least five days a week” from then on and added: “He had hung some pictures on the wall at some point, there was always a trace of the fact that he had been there or he was returning at some point soon.”
Despite cutting contact with the man on the advice of his security staff, Harry continued to see him on “several occasions” outside his local pub.
“He would sit in my eye line. He tried to speak to me on the second occasion as I was leaving. He would just kind of watch and look over and wait for me to leave.”
In April, Pablo posted change to the value of £49.95 through his letter box.
“I was very confused very very uncomfortable, very confused, I didn’t really understand it,” Harry told the court.
Two months later on May 30 the defendant posted two notes through the letterbox asking for the money Harry had offered him at the bus stop earlier to be bank transferred to him, giving his bank details, the court heard.
Harry said his stalker had “lunged” at him and “blocked his path” as he went running that day.
He said on his way back at 10.45pm: “He reached his arm out and kind of lunged at me to try and stop me running. When I was 50 yards away I turned around and he was still watching me.”
On his way out of his home that day, he said: “He was maybe 30ft away. He tried to block the pathway. I said please move. He said ‘I need the money’ and kept repeating it over and over again.”
(Image: PA)
Harry denied offering the defendant money to have “fun” in a hotel on their first meeting.
He replied “I did not” after defence barrister Jenni Dempster QC said: “Do you suggest both of you could have gone to a hotel to have fun.
“Can I suggest to you that you did? Can I also suggest that you had a large quantity of notes in your hand when you made that suggestion?”
The prosecution argued that Tarazaga-Orero’s stalking continue to have a “significant effect on (Mr Styles’) day-to-day life”.
Mr Styles said: “I never really encountered this kind of behaviour before.
“I’ve employed a night guard. I continue to lock my bedroom door at night.”
He also said he continues to check for “weak spots” in his home.
The prosecutor applied for a reporting restriction to bar the press from identifying Harry Styles because of his concerns about the effects the trial will have “on his fan base”.
(Image: FilmMagic)
The prosecutor claimed the star’s “cooperation would be largely diminished” if he was identified in the case.
She added: “The complainant is very very famous. He has been extremely distressed by coming to court today.
“He’s concerned about what impact this trial may have on his fan base. He’s concerned that other so-called fans may mimic the behaviour of this defendant. The behaviour has left him very afraid.”
Tarazaga-Orero is charged with “pursued a course of conduct which amounted to the stalking of Harry Styles” between April 6 and June 1 this year.
He is defended by barrister Jenni Dempster QC, who opposed the reporting ban.
She said the reasons for it “were completely irrelevant” adding: “We cannot have a situation because particular people with their status or position are entitled to reporting restrictions.”
District Judge Nigel Dean did not grant the order.
The trial continues.
