EXCLUSIVE: Cheryl 'Gripped with Fear Her Son Bear Will Be Made an Orphan' After Terrifying Stalker Ordeal at Her Mansion — Weeks After Ex Liam's Balcony Plunge Death
The grieving pop star and former partner of tragic Liam Payne has confided to cops her fears that their son 'could be left orphaned'.
Jan. 9 2025, Published 11:01 a.m. ET
The grieving pop star and former partner of tragic Liam Payne has confided to cops her fears that their son "could be left orphaned" after being stalked by a convicted killer.
Petrified Cheryl Cole is now urgently upgrading security at the $6m mansion where she lives with their son Bear, seven, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The singer with UK band Girls Aloud was targeted at her home in rural England as she mourned the death of One Direction star Payne.
Cole was the victim of "fixated, obsessive, unwanted and repetitive behavior" by a man who served 30 months for manslaughter in 2012.
Grieving Cole fears for her son's safety after being stalked by a convicted killer.
A law enforcement source in the UK told us: "Cheryl voiced very real fears that her son could be left an orphan if this worrying behavior went unchecked and escalated.
"She is grieving for the father of her child and finds a convicted killer is stalking her while she is at home with their son, not once but twice within weeks. She has been left deeply traumatized by this serious and sinister development.
"She has now upgraded security measures at her home to ensure there is no repeat of these worrying incidents."
Daniel Bannister, 49, was first handed a three-year restraining order against the star and served four months in jail in September for an offense in July.
The restraining order meant that he could not contact Cole, enter the county of Buckinghamshire, or attend her address.
Upgraded security measures at her $6m mansion have followed Cole's terrifying ordeal with an obsessive stalker.
In December, Bannister returned to her home just weeks after Payne's funeral took place in November.
Bannister, who has no fixed address, was accused of entering Buckinghamshire on 10 December and then turning up at "an address where you knew or believed Cheryl Cole was present", revealed court documents.
He also attempted to contact Cole, 41, which he was prohibited from doing.
Bannister pleaded guilty to the three offences in December and was sent back to prison. He is due to be sentenced on 30 January.
In 2012, Bannister pleaded guilty to manslaughter after attacking 48-year-old Rajendra Patel at a YMCA shelter in Croydon, south London.
The 'Girls Aloud' star was mourning Liam Payne's death while facing sinister threats at home from a crank.
Following the attack, Patel returned to hospital on 9 March and died the following day.
A post-mortem report gave the cause of death as pulmonary thromboembolism due to deep vein thrombosis of the left femoral vein, in turn, due to a recent fracture of his left ankle.
Cole's ordeal took place in the weeks after pop singer Payne, died in October aged 31 after falling from the third-floor balcony of his hotel room in Buenos Aires.
Payne’s medical cause of death was confirmed this week in a UK inquest opening as "polytrauma" meaning multiple traumatic injuries. Five people have been charged over his death.
The showbiz couple share a seven-year-old son called Bear.
A hearing held on 17 December at Buckinghamshire Coroner’s Court in the UK was told it may take "some time" to ascertain how the 31-year-old pop singer died.
Following the news of his death, Cole said in a statement: "As I try to navigate this earth-shattering event, and work through my own grief at this indescribably painful time, I’d like to kindly remind everyone that we have lost a human being.
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Cole pleaded for dignity in the treatment of Payne's memory following his tragic death last year.
"Liam was not only a pop star and celebrity, he was a son, a brother, an uncle, a dear friend and a father to our seven-year-old son. A son that now has to face the reality of never seeing his father again."
She continued: "Before you leave comments or make videos, ask yourself if you would like your own child or family to read them. Please give Liam the little dignity he has left in the wake of his death to rest in some peace at last."
