The man who stalked and terrified Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Tweedy was secretly freed from prison after serving just three months of his sentence, before being sent back to jail this week.
Stalker's Early Release and Re-Arrest
Daniel Bannister, 51, was jailed last year for breaching a restraining order against the pop star. However, it has been reported that he was released on licence in recent weeks. His freedom was short-lived, as he was apprehended again this week in south London for breaking the rules of his bail hostel, a halfway house, where alcohol was allegedly found in his room.
An HM Prison and Probation Service spokesperson stated: "As this case shows, we do not hesitate to send offenders back to prison where necessary if they break the rules." All offenders on licence are required to be of good behaviour, a condition Bannister failed to meet.
A Campaign of Fear and Obsession
Bannister's fixation with Cheryl, 42, caused significant distress. He turned up at her Buckinghamshire home on four separate occasions in 2024, including once while she was grieving the loss of her former partner, Liam Payne. The property is shared with her eight-year-old son, Bear.
In a statement to the court, Cheryl revealed she "immediately panicked" upon seeing the intruder outside her home. She said, "I was concerned he was looking for a way into the property." The court also heard grim details of Bannister's past, including a 30-month jail sentence in 2012 for manslaughter.
Cheryl's Resilience and New Chapter
Despite the trauma of the stalking and personal loss, the Newcastle-born singer has shown remarkable resilience. She has recently embarked on a "new era," becoming the face of Nivea UK's Cellular Epigenetics Age Rewind Serum.
Promoting the brand in a nostalgic video where she looked through a photo album, Cheryl said of the skincare product: "I’ve really noticed the difference in my skin. It’s glowy. There’s no fuss, no drama. Just science doing its thing." The campaign marked a poignant return to the spotlight for the star.
