Convicted killer Daniel Bannister, 50, has once again been jailed for breaching a restraining order against Girls Aloud star Cheryl Tweedy, 42. This marks the fourth time Bannister has targeted the singer at her rural home, causing extreme distress to both her and her young child. At Reading Crown Court on Tuesday, Judge Alan Blake sentenced Bannister to 12 months in jail after he admitted a single charge of breaching a restraining order, and also issued a fresh order prohibiting any contact with Ms. Tweedy.

In a powerful victim impact statement, Cheryl revealed she feels “on edge every time I open my gate” and was “stunned” by Bannister’s repeated visits. She stated that the worry of his intentions intensifies with each return, forcing her to hire personal security. Crucially, she added, “Daniel has made my young child scared,” highlighting the profound impact of his actions on her family’s safety and peace of mind.

The latest incident occurred on June 19, when Bannister arrived at Cheryl’s property by taxi just before 10 pm. He rang the intercom system twice and peered over the gate, as captured by video footage presented in court. During his arrest the following day, Bannister bizarrely claimed that the celebrity had personally invited him to her address via Microsoft Teams and through security, a delusion he also expressed during previous encounters.

This is not Bannister’s first stint in prison for stalking Ms. Tweedy. He was initially jailed for four months in September last year, when he was issued a three-year restraining order. However, he breached this order by returning to her home in December, leading to a 16-week jail sentence in March this year and the imposition of an indefinite restraining order. Prosecutors noted that Cheryl “immediately panicked” and was “terrified,” fearing for the safety of her eight-year-old son Bear, upon seeing Bannister outside her home.

Bannister first came to Cheryl’s attention on January 25 last year, when he loitered at her home after ringing the intercom and asking for her, prompting her to call security. On July 17 last year, he returned, announcing, “It is Dan, hope to see Cheryl. I have come now, I have told you I would come.” He later told police he believed Cheryl wanted to see him and did not intend to cause distress, despite his internet history showing a one-way conversation on Facebook with a ‘Cheryl,’ sending numerous sexual messages and expressing his ‘love’ for her.

Further compounding the severity of his actions, Bannister has a grim criminal past. In 2012, he killed Rajendra Patel, 48, at a south London YMCA shelter, pleading guilty to manslaughter. Mr. Patel died from a leg injury. Besides manslaughter, Bannister has two other convictions for five further offences, including stalking and multiple breaches of restraining orders. Despite his history, a psychiatric report found no mental health issues or substance abuse problems.

Judge Alan Blake sternly told Bannister, “She does not wish any contact with you and you are causing her anxiety. You have shown defiance to the court order. You need to draw a line under that behaviour, otherwise you will find yours returning to custody for a longer and longer period.” Bannister, described as a musician who trained as a figure skater to a high level as a child, has continued his relentless pursuit of the singer, creating an atmosphere of constant fear. The ongoing saga adds to a challenging period for Cheryl, who also mourned the indescribably painful death of her former partner, Liam Payne, last year.