Christine Lampard: stalker terrified me
Christine Lampard, the television presenter and wife of Frank Lampard, the former footballer, told a court she was too scared to go out alone after being hounded by Christof King, who pleaded guilty to stalking yesterday
CHRISTINE LAMPARD, the television presenter and wife of former England footballer Frank, has revealed she is too terrified to go out alone after being hounded by a stalker for three years.
She was once forced to hide in her bedroom and on another occasion was left cowering behind the sofa when he repeatedly turned up at her London mansion, having bombarded her with “dark and disturbing” tweets, emails and letters, a court heard.
Christof King, 39, who believed it was “his destiny” to be with Mrs Lampard, pleaded guilty yesterday to one charge of stalking causing serious alarm or distress, having previously denied the allegation.
But Mrs Lampard, also 39, could be forced to face him in court on Monday because he denies sending certain tweets and being aware that his behaviour amounted to harassment.
Judge Robin Johnson has scheduled a special hearing to determine the full extent of his campaign and may ask to hear directly from Mrs Lampard, who had been expected to give evidence from behind a screen at his trial.
The judge’s findings will determine the severity of King’s sentence. He faces a maximum of five years imprisonment.
King’s stalking campaign began in early 2015 and continued until late last year. One of his tweets stated: “I can hear the screeching of the nails as I sharpen them for your crucifixion” and another said “I am planning the writing on your gravestone.”
He went to the couple’s £10million home several times.
In a statement, Mrs Lampard, who is pregnant with her first child, told Isleworth Crown Court: “I do not go out alone anymore. I always go out with someone.” Mr Lampard, also 39, described how King turned up at their front gate, forcing his wife and their housekeeper to hide in the bedroom because they were so frightened.
“It has both made us feel very vulnerable. She became flustered and very nervous and concerned for her safety,” he said. “I could see that Christine was very anxious and shaken more than I
‘He thought we were married in his mind... Frank did go out and say, “Look, you’ve got to stop. This isn’t normal”’
have ever seen.” Alisdair Smith, prosecuting, said: “The motivation appears to be a belief that there’s a form of bond or pre-destined emotional relationship [through] comments made by the complainant on television.
“This is an allegation of a sustained period of harassment.”
King, from West Hampstead, northwest London, initially pleaded not guilty to the charge when he appeared before magistrates last November.
In February, his counsel then unsuccessfully attempted to have the case thrown out, arguing it was not accepted that King had caused Mrs Lampard “serious distress” and that therefore a jury could not reasonably convict.
King, wearing an open-neck white shirt and dark grey suit, only spoke to confirm his name during yesterday’s brief appearance and was bailed to return on Monday. Outside court, he smiled and looked relaxed as he discussed next week’s hearing.
“It’s going to be horrendous, but you have to do it, don’t you?” he said.
Mrs Lampard revealed last year that King had booked himself into her hotel when she was away with her husband.
She told ITV’S Loose Women: “There was a chap who had been trying to get in contact with me for a while.
“He thought we were married in his mind. He randomly turned up at the hotel we were staying in, which does freak you out because there’s a sense that he knows where you are. Frank did go out and say, ‘Look, you’ve got to stop. This isn’t normal behaviour’.”