Daniel Bannister, 51, who was convicted of stalking singer Cheryl Tweedy, has been moved from prison to a secure psychiatric hospital. The transfer occurred after Bannister spent five months in jail and was made by health service bosses and the Ministry of Justice ahead of his planned release this year.
As a patient in a psychiatric hospital, Bannister will receive round-the-clock care from nurses and psychologists. This move is anticipated to cost taxpayers up to £300,000 annually, a significant increase from the approximately £60,000 cost of a prison place.
Bannister was initially jailed for one year last September for appearing at Tweedy's home for a fourth time. This incident, which occurred while Tweedy was present with her nine-year-old son, was a violation of a restraining order previously placed against him. He had begun his campaign of harassment in January 2024.
Following his release, Bannister was seen in public. In January, he was returned to prison for violating the terms of his halfway house agreement, reportedly for possessing alcohol in his room. His sentence was scheduled to conclude in June of this year, which would have prevented his continued detention in custody.
Bannister, who has a prior conviction for manslaughter, appeared at Tweedy's rural home on June 19, arriving by taxi and ringing the intercom before looking over the gate. He had reportedly believed Tweedy had invited him to her home via Microsoft Teams. The court heard that Bannister is a musician and was once a highly trained figure skater. He was previously jailed for two and a half years in 2012 for the manslaughter of Rajendra Patel at a London YMCA.
In a victim impact statement, Tweedy described feeling “on edge every time I open my gate” and “stunned” by Bannister's repeated appearances. She stated that she has had to hire personal security and that Bannister's actions have made her young child scared. "Each time he returns the worry of his intentions intensifies," she told the court.
Judge Alan Blake had previously cautioned Bannister, stating, "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."
Bannister's harassment campaign continued after the death of Liam Payne, Tweedy's former partner and the father of their son Bear, who died in October 2024. 
