Shortland Street star's alleged stalker caught

Man, 25, faces charge as Teuila Blakely holds fears for safety.

Shortland Street star Teuila Blakely has a security guard protecting her around the clock after police arrested a man for allegedly stalking her.

Blakely was at home with her family yesterday but it was the security guard who came to the door. Blakely would not comment on the charges.

The 38-year-old actor plays Vasa Levi, the soap opera's head of nursing.

She has been a cast member since 2010 and previously starred in the 2006 film Sione's Wedding.

Shortland Street is taking the threat of a stalker seriously and, at their request, the Herald on Sunday has agreed to not name the 25-year-old accused man, who is unemployed and lives in Ponsonby. Producers feared naming him might feed his desire for attention.

Shortland Street spokeswoman Tamar Munch said: "Identifying him vindicates him in some capacity and may escalate the situation."

What had happened to Blakely, she said, was a "very unusual circumstance. It's absolutely unique".

The actor should not have to put up with such unwanted attention.

"It shouldn't be part and parcel of the job they do."

The accused man appeared in the Auckland District Court on Friday and was remanded on bail. The full charge states he "harassed Teuila Blakely with intent to cause fear for her safety", in December last year.

A quietly-spoken man, he told the Herald on Sunday he did not understand why he was being charged.

"I don't know why, it's stupid," he said. "Nobody knows what I'm about."

He claimed he had known Blakely for a long time and they had been in a relationship. "We used to hook up," he said.

A show spokesman said that was not true.

Source: NZ Herald