Myleene Klass has told of her ‘sheer terror’ at finding out she had been sent a cache of ‘overtly sexual’ letters and presents over four years including a set off handcuffs with a note saying ‘whip me, beat me priestess Myleene’.
The Classic FM presenter, 47, sobbed in court as she recalled how was also sent a ‘gun’ by schizophrenic Peter Windsor, 61, which was intercepted by the Royal Mail.
Ms Klass, a mother-of-three, had to pause several times in the witness box to compose herself as she recounted how a police officer called her while on the school run to tell her about the weapon, which was an air pistol.
‘He said that whilst this gun wasn’t necessary for a licence, at close proximity, right up to six feet it could prove fatal,’ she told jurors. ‘I think anyone receiving a gun would be terrified.
‘I was extremely shocked because suddenly it felt extremely real. I think we spend so much time as women trying to justify why we feel the way we do, have we misinterpreted it? There was no grey area here, there was a gun in a box with my name on it.’
Windsor, 61, is also accused of sending her second hand shoes, jewellery, and a Catwoman and police officer fancy dress costumes as well as an imitation firearm which turned out to be an air pistol to Global radio’s London studios.
He has denied stalking Ms Klass for nine months between November 2023 and August 2024 and her Classic FM colleague, Katie Breathwick, 53, who was sent between 80 and 100 items including champagne and running spikes between March 2020 and December 2023.
Giving evidence at Birmingham Crown Court on Wednesday, Ms Klass said she had been forced to enhance security at home after being targeted by Windsor, of Birmingham.
Peter Windsor, 61, is on trial at Birmingham Crown Court accused of stalking Myleene Klass and her Classic FM co-presenter Katie Breathwick
Myleene Klass arriving at Birmingham Crown Court to give evidence this morning
Peter Windsor is accused of also stalking Classic FM presenter Katie Breathwick
Tim Sapwell, prosecuting, told jurors Ms Klass needed ‘no introduction’ after she took the stand on Wednesday, describing her as a well known broadcaster, musician and presenter. The former pop star, in a beige jumper and trousers, replied ‘thank you’.
Ms Klass, who has worked at Classic FM for almost 20 years, told how she only discovered in August last year that she had been targeted by Windsor she received an email ‘out of the blue’ from her managing director at Classic FM David Rose saying that there had been some ‘concerning items that had been received’.
Up until this point, her mail was being screened and ‘vetoed’ for her.
She said: ‘I receive quite a lot of mail so much so that often my producers open it for me. I don’t touch my mail now.’
She said she was told some ‘worrying items had come through of a sexually violent nature and would I like to do something about it’.
Ms Klass said her personal manager of 19 years Severine Berman said ‘this does not feel right at all’ and it was reported to police. Ms Klass said it was only later that she discovered ‘a larger body of items’ over four years had been sent but had been thrown away by security at Global.
She said it was explained to her why her mail had been kept from her for four years. She told the court: ‘Nobody wanted to bother me and later down the line worry me.
‘After four years of excessive contact and presents and unwanted items I think finally security realised there was an impending dangerous problem.’
She was sent a list of some of the items which ‘taken in isolation’ could be considered humorous but the ‘the quantities were excessive’,’ Ms Klass said.
On March 4 last year, she was sent a silver ring for with a note describing her as a ‘worthy high priestess’, jurors were told. The note was written in red and black ink in capital letters on a page torn from a spiral bound note book.
Another note spoke about the RAF flying in Geese formation signed ‘Peety’ with three kisses.
A court sketch of Peter Windsor in the dock at Birmingham Crown Court
Myleene Klass arriving at Birmingham Crown Court to give evidence in the trial of Peter Windsor, who is charged with two counts of causing serious alarm or distress by stalking
Ms Klass said: ‘It doesn’t really make sense, capitals is shouting, I don’t know what it is meant to mean’.
She said taken together ‘the picture you get is pretty bleak’.
Another parcel included a letter from the Coventry building society to Windsor about withdrawals totalling £1250 from his bank account along with a note which read: ‘Dear Myleene you naughty vixen look at this letter you are not giving me correction on you it will be the whip and cane.’
Ms Klass said: ‘In isolation it would feel very off in the containment of the body of these it certainly puts together an idea of the person who is sending these. They are talking about war, overtly sexual suggestions, whips, talking of canes, there is religious references as well it just feels extreme on every front.
‘It is extremely disturbing. Who would find the time the finance, to continue sending this at the rate they were sent. No one would welcome this kind of correspondence.
She added: ‘It’s a huge violation, it is sheer terror really as they can get to you. If you have all of these items coming to your place of work… what is coming next.’
Another ‘nonsensical’ note referenced a black musician and circumcision.
She told the court: ‘A culmination of all these items put together with this kind of language it’s really quite alarming. I play classical music and he is sending me letters about circumcision’s – none of it makes sense at all.’
Ms Klass was also sent a pendant in a box as well as handcuffs with a note which read: ‘ps enclose correction handcuffs whip me beat me priestess Myleene’.
In September last year she told how she received a call from police say the Royal Mail had intercepted a gun that was intended for her in several months earlier in November 2023.
Struggling to hold back tears she told how the discovery had left her terrified.
She said she had to contact her daughters’ school and had totally changed the way she travelled and lived. She told jurors: ‘I’m always second guessing myself. It’s like playing a game of chess with yourself.
‘As a woman you have an unspoken understanding…it’s a constant survey, a constant risk assessment for women.’
Asked if she had reported it police to generate publicity she replied: ‘You will see I wrote countless statements trying to keep this out of the public’.
‘I never asked for these items to be sent,’ she said.
Under cross examination by defence barrister Philip Brunt she was asked if she was aware of the phrase ‘no publicity is bad publicity’ and if she agreed with it.
She replied no, she did not agree. He asked her: ‘This case is good publicity for you isn’t it? Get your name in the press?
One of the letters sent by Peter Wilson to Myleene Klass and Katie Breathwick
Windsor, 61, denied stalking Ms Klass for nine months between November 2023 and August 2024
She said ‘My name is already in the press.’
He asked her: Having your name in the headlines is a good thing for your career isn’t, it’s a no lose situation anyone would be sympathetic to you situation.?
‘I don’t know, one would hope but I don’t know,’ she replied.
‘We tried to have a ban on reporting of this.’
The court heard Windsor was arrested in September last year at his home in Birmingham when police found a ‘number of items’ including maps of London showing where the women worked as well as a black leather glove, women’s stockings and a pair of binoculars.
Jurors have been told Windsor has a ‘history of mental illness and a longstanding diagnosis of schizophrenia’.
Ms Klass found fame in the pop group Hear’Say, created through reality series Popstars in 2001.
They had one of the biggest-selling debut singles of all time with their 2001 hit Pure & Simple, which shifted 550,000 copies in the first week of release, becoming the first of two UK No 1s for the group.
But their success was short-lived and the group disbanded after 18 months.
Classically trained musician Ms Klass was runner-up on I’m a Celebrity four years later, with scenes of the star showering in a white bikini becoming an enduring image for the series.
Ms Klass is in a long-term relationship with PR executive Simon Motson with whom she has a son, who was born in 2019.
She also has two daughters Ava, 18, and Hero, 13, with ex husband former Hear’Say bodyguard Graham Quinn.
The trial continues.
