Hayley's stalker(s) and bodyguard - more details

[Dave]

I think this story now merits its own thread in the Media board as today, we have more details (probably more accurate) on the stalker/bodyguard issue. This was published today here in the NZ Herald (with thanks to Kennydon for the link in Katherine's official forum).

As far as I can tell, the NZ Herald story is more accurate than the earlier story at www.stuff.co.nz which incorrectly states that Hayley was grabbed (she wasn't). But there's a later version at stuff.co.nz from The Press which seems to be better. The NZ Herald story also contains new information including some quotes attributed to Hayley and her family, so I am going to post it here in full.

NZ Herald

Frightened Westenra hires bodyguard to block stalkers

09.05.06 By Derek Cheng

New Zealand singing star Hayley Westenra has hired a bodyguard after being scared by stalkers.

One man tried to grab the 19-year-old as she walked off stage after a performance in Berlin last week.

"This has really unnerved me, it's put me on edge," the soprano told the British newspaper the Sunday Express.

"I've spent my whole life on stage and I feel safe up there; it's the one place that is really my space. "

Westenra's parents said last night that they were concerned, but confident their daughter's team would keep her safe.

"She's in good hands and she hasn't let it get to her," said her father, Gerald. "There's always potential they could be dangerous, but she just saw [the man in Berlin] as a very enthusiastic fan."

Her bodyguard has a black belt in tae kwon do and has worked for such celebrities as Victoria Beckham and Mariah Carey.

Westenra's mother, Jill, said the Berlin incident followed the antics of a German fan, who got into her daughter's birthday bash on a forged invitation. Guards escorted the man out, but he turned up during a rehearsal for a Westenra show last December.

"He was blessing everybody, and then he started chanting," said Mrs Westenra, who was with her daughter in Britain at the time.

"He wouldn't leave so they called the police and he was taken quite a distance from the venue and dropped off. But he came back, so police put him in a cell for the night and then deported him.

"They thought he was too strange, too scary and too persistent."

The man had also posted Westenra sexually inappropriate mail - some of which he sent to her home in Christchurch. Her family and management intercepted it.

Westenra told the Sunday Express that she knew she was getting obscene letters, but her new bodyguard meant she didn't have to worry.

"I have my security guy with me now ... I feel a bit like Beyonce walking round with him following me all the time."

As with all non-official stories in the media, it may still contain some inaccuracies.

Cheers, Dave

[Dave]

Here is the second version of this story at stuff.co.nz that I mentioned, from The Press and it contains some additional details so I'll post this one as well.

The Press

Stalked singer hires bodyguard

10 May 2006 By JANINE BENNETTS and NZPA

Christchurch soprano Hayley Westenra has been forced to hire a bodyguard after being stalked by three male fans, one of whom tried to grab her at a recent concert in Berlin.

"This has really unnerved me, it's put me on edge," the 19-year-old singer reportedly told British newspaper the Sunday Express.

"I've spent my whole life on stage and I feel safe up there – it's the one place that is really my space."

Westenra is touring through Europe with Opera boy band Il Divo.

The singer's mother, Jill Westenra, said yesterday that Hayley had had stalking incidents involving three different men over the past few months and after the most recent scare in Berlin, a bodyguard had been hired.

She said one of the first stalking incidents was in April last year when a German male fan got into Hayley's 18th birthday bash on a forged invitation before being escorted out by guards.

The same man had also posted her daughter sexually inappropriate mail – some of which he had sent to her home in Christchurch.

"He's known to the management and at the ticket sales so when they see his name they know if he's going to be there and at that point security gets stepped up," Jill Westenra said.

Another stalker had turned up at a concert rehearsal in the United Kingdom in November last year while Hayley and Jill Westenra were backstage. The man approached crew members and started to chant.

Jill Westenra said police were called and the man was eventually put into a police cell for the night and then deported.

"Hayley did feel a little bit sorry for him because he missed the concert," Jill Westenra said.

"Some people just don't seem to know what the appropriate behaviour is."

Most recently, a third male stalker tried to grab the singer after a concert in Berlin two weeks ago, but security pulled him away.

Jill Westenra said the new bodyguard had experience in the business, including having worked for Victoria and David Beckham, and was a black belt in tae kwon do.

She said she was confident Hayley was safe.

"I kind of feel that she's well looked after."

As with all non-official stories in the media, it may still contain some inaccuracies.

Cheers, Dave

[postscript]

Thanks Dave for the updates and treating this as a special thread I think is right.

I found the following points interesting from I think it was The Press link.

"Jill Westenra said police were called and the man was eventually put into a police cell for the night and then deported.

'Hayley did feel a little bit sorry for him because he missed the concert,' Jill Westenra said.

'Some people just don't seem to know what the appropriate behaviour is.' "

Isn't that second paragraph just typical Hayley? SHE feels sorry for HIM! And possibly that specific guy was simply over-enthusiastic. But isn't that just like Hayley to see the best side instinctively? But that doesn't imply niaivité. She's hard headed when she needs to be but needs to feel the case for hard-headedness has to be proved--and that of course is where people do need to keep a watch for her.

The last paragraph is also a comment on today's society which highlights the joy of a Hayley concert. EVERYONE, whether 'ordinary' theatre goers, 'first opportunity to meet her' supporters or the more regular 'stalwarts' are such wonderfully decent people to meet, for themselves alone.

Her very presence, the complete aspect that is the Hayley phenomenon, highlights the fact that simple, basic 'old-world', old-fashioned' courtesies do embody a wonderful sense of fun and positively remind us what a wonderful world this really is and how it could be so much more so.

Peter

[spiderman]

hi all,
for those of us who havent read enough, an account from singapore...

newspaper.asia1.com

Kiwis in trouble
NZ teen star hires bodyguard after fan stalking
May 10, 2006

SHE'S used to life in the public eye.


--File picture/THE STRAITS TIMES
But New Zealand soprano star Hayley Westenra is so spooked out by stalkers that she has hired a bodyguard.

One man tried to grab the 19-year-old as she walked off stage after a performance in Berlin last week, reported the New Zealand Herald.

'This has really unnerved me, it has put me on edge,' she told the British newspaper the Sunday Express.

She said he could be just an over-enthusiastic fan, but she's not taking chances.

That scare followed the antics of a German fan, who got into Westenra's birthday bash on a forged invitation.

He was exposed and escorted out by guards. But he still turned up during a rehearsal for Westenra's show last December.

And his behaviour was bizarre.

Recalled the star's mother, Mrs Jill Westenra, who was with her daughter in Britain at the time: 'He was blessing everybody, and then he started chanting.

'He wouldn't leave so they called the police and he was taken quite a distance from the venue and dropped off. But he came back, so police put him in a cell for the night and then deported him.

'They thought he was too strange, too scary and too persistent.'

The man had also posted Westenra sexually inappropriate mail - some of which he sent to her home in Christchurch.

However, her family and management intercepted it.

OBSCENE LETTERS

Westenra told the Sunday Express that she knew she was getting obscene letters, but her new bodyguard meant she didn't have to worry.

'I have my security guy with me now ... I feel a bit like Beyonce (Knowles) walking round with him following me all the time.'

Her bodyguard has a black belt in taekwondo and has worked for such celebrities as Victoria Beckham and Mariah Carey.

Westenra's parents said they were concerned, but confident their daughter will be safe.

Said her father Gerald: 'She's in good hands and she hasn't let it get to her.'

---

Edit: I hid the full url to make the link clickable.
Richard

[Holger]

Hi all,


as I mentioned in my Stuttgart report, I met Hayley's bodyguard. She even introduced him to me (I don't want to put his name on the board, though). And he took our picture!

I had characterized him briefly as crude, but quite o.k. But I think that doesn't do him justice. He really watches out for her, but at the same time he still allows her enough breathing space. However, Hayley most probably wouldn't want to have it any other way. She is a philanthropist and she truly does appreciate her (genuine) fans whom she loves to be around.

As Peter so aptly put it, she is in control of security rather than being controlled by security. Still, from what I can tell, Hayley's sentinel does a fine job!


Regards,

Holger

[Richard]

Hello Holger!

I think it would be a great idea for Hayley's genuine fans to be introduced to her bodyguard. It would make his job a little bit easier.

Richard

[stevemacdonald]

richnorri said:

I think it would be a great idea for Hayley's genuine fans to be introduced to her bodyguard. It would make his job a little bit easier.

All two million of us?

[postscript]

richnorri said:

Hello Holger!

I think it would be a great idea for Hayley's genuine fans to be introduced to her bodyguard. It would make his job a little bit easier.

Richard

Roger had a valid counter point when I suggested people used their avatars as an unofficial ID about that being open to abuse but I suspect that there is a code arrangement between Hayley and her BG, if only in him noticing the way she responds to people she knows, to cover that contingency.

Peter

[postscript]

stevemacdonald said:

richnorri said:

I think it would be a great idea for Hayley's genuine fans to be introduced to her bodyguard. It would make his job a little bit easier.

All two million of us?

That is a point we need to bear in mind and keep our sense of perspective. Very few are able, for what ever reason and it could simply be it is 'not their thing' to post here but beyond HWI, marvelous though this forum is, there is a much wider world of individual CD buyers and theatre attendees. They too are Hayley fans, or they wouldn't buy in the first place and our golden girl I suspect would like to meet everyone of them in person!

I'm sure Hayley, or her staff on her behalf, appreciate HWI's uniqueness. It is independent of her official site and provides an active debating ground for `current' issues based upon people who have attended many concerts, have met her at least once or twice and therefore it provides a unique authority, able to compare their feelings for her and her performances over a period of time.

These are very useful contributions but Hayley's status with Decca and her own sense of wellbeing depends on those 2million others providing the funds that prove her worth in monetary terms--its a hard business as she herself has said in many an interview and the emphasis is 'business'.

We have much debated here the varied and often conflicting reports regarding the Il Divo tour. What is without question is the numbers drawn to them. How do we get Hayley drawing those numbers and wowing those crowds? She has made an impact and she is having fun, in the main, and she is living her life enthusiastically to the full and loving it. Surely, there is going to come a decision time--carry on contented? 'I just want to see how far I can go', she said. But is it time the otherwise focused girl focused on the long-term audience that she wants to confirm is her playground? What type of audience is that? Does she have a clue, herself?

Peter

[cinderella]

Kevin, who received an autograph of Hayley at her Frankfurt-concert, told me: no stalker in or around Ballsporthalle Frankfurt ! everybody peaceful + relaxed !

[roger]

Thank you Cindy, that's good to know.

Roger

[Belinda]

Hi Everyone,
This is the page from the NZ Woman's Day May 22nd 2006 issue.
A little better but get out those reading glasses
Thanks guys

Belinda

[Stuart H]

Hi Belinda,

Great to hear from you again. I can just about read the article if I save the scan and enlarge it.
I am glad that Hayley is able to talk about these disturbing events openly and I just hope she is able to put it out of her mind. you know Hayley better than most of us - do you think it will affect her openness to wards her true fans? We are all hoping that she continues to make it a priority to meet her fans after concerts - she must enjoy this or, quite simply, she wouldn't do it. It takes up a lot of her time and stops her doing other things like rushing off to parties etc. what do you think?

Best wishes

Stuart

[Andrew]

Hi Belinda,

Many thanks for scanning this article for us!

Do you happen to have any larger images of the scanned article in your photo staging suite please? If so between Forum members, I'm sure we can work some "magic" for you!

Regards,

Andrew

[Dave]

belinda said:

Hi Everyone,
This is the page from the NZ Woman's Day May 22nd 2006 issue.
Can anyone work their magic so it is readable

scan

Belinda

Hi Belinda, thanks for posting this scan. As Stuart and Andrew have indicated, the scan image is too small for that size text. It needs to be about double that size to be easily readable - that would make it 632 pixels wide and 876 pixels long. 700 pixels wide would be even better! I'm afraid that magnifying it in the forum (as we could do) won't help much.

If you scanned it yourself, would you be able to re-scan it at a higher resolution/larger size? If the original scan is in fact bigger, as they usually are, just resize it a bit less... if you see what I mean! If the original scan is 'too huge to handle', you can just email it to me if you like and I'll sort it out. If you got it from another source as it is, we may have a problem...

It looks like a very interesting article, from what I can make out of it!

Cheers, Dave