Harry Styles told a court he became ‘incredibly uncomfortable’ after Pablo Tarazaga-Orero camped outside his home
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 today.
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 singer bought Tarazaga-Orero two sandwiches, two salads and two muffins from a vegan cafe, but decided to stop interacting with him following an ‘odd’ incident.
But the Spanish national then allegedly began posting notes and money through his letterbox, and following him to his local pub on several occasions.
The behaviour escalated with Tarazago-Orero lunging at Styles and attempting to grab him while he was jogging in May, the court heard.
The 25-year-old star went to the police in June after the defendant’s ‘erratic and frightening behaviour’ left him feeling insecure at home.
Styles told the court he would see Tarazago-Orero outside his home every day even after he was cautioned by police.
He said he became certain he was being followed after he started seeing Tarazago-Orero in his local pub, The Spaniards Inn.
Speaking from behind a screen, the Brit Award-winner told Hendon Magistrates’ Court today he ‘felt sorry’ for the defendant after spotting him sleeping outside in the rain.
He said: ‘Pablo was sleeping outside of my residence; I first became aware of him in March. I thought it was sad that someone so young was sleeping rough at a bus stop when it was cold.
‘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.’
The defendant denies one count of stalking between April and June this year, claiming Harry had offered him money to ‘have some fun’ in a hotel – which the star vociferously denied.
Police were sent to the star’s home in April this year after he told officers the defendant’s ‘erratic and frightening behaviour’ left him feeling insecure at home. Pictured, Pablo Tarazaga-Orero, 26, at the scene
Harry was forced to deny he offered 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?’
His security staff called homeless charities to try to arrange shelter for Tarazaga-Orero, but he refused offers for help.
Tarazaga-Orero had ‘asked Harry he could have some edamame beans because he was vegan’.
Styles told the court: ‘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.
‘I stopped at a vegan cafe, I bought two sandwiches, two salads, two muffins all heated then took them to Pablo.
‘I passed him the bag of food through the car window at which point he asked me if I wanted to go to a restaurant to eat with him.
‘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, adding: ‘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, Styles continued to spot Tarazaga-Orero ‘incredibly often (…) almost every day’.
In April, he posted change to the value of £49.95 through Styles’ letter box.
The star said he was also followed into a local pub a number of times, and was stopped on a run in Regent’s Park, when Tarazaga-Orero asked for money.
The prosecution argued that Tarazaga-Orero’s stalking continue to have a ‘significant effect on (Mr Styles’) day-to-day life’.
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.
Tarazaga-Orero denies one count of stalking between April and June. He was given a verbal warning to leave the area on March 20 and a harassment warning on April 6, prosecutor Katie Weiss said.
Harry was spoken to by police on June 6 and gave a statement.
Tarazaga-Orero said ‘no I didn’t stalk him’ when was arrested airside at Stansted Airport on July 10.
He told police that he had been homeless for four years and was a Hare Krishna follower.
The trial continues.