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Nicola Benedetti
“Freaked out”: Nicola Benedetti is still shaken by the late-night incident

Nicola Benedetti's fears over suspected stalker

Benedict Moore-Bridger
8 Mar 2010


A violinist is terrified of staying alone at her east London home because of a suspected stalker.

Nicola Benedetti, 22, a former BBC Young Musician of the Year, said a man tried to get in to her flat in the middle of the night after concealing his face from her video intercom.

She said: “Somebody buzzed the bell obsessively for 10 minutes. It was the middle of the night and, in my dozy state, I immediately went to press the button to let them in, because I have had friends come home late.

“Purely by chance I missed the button and thought, You idiot, what are you doing?' I freaked out badly. I couldn't sleep all night.
“I haven't had one night alone there since, and keep getting people to stay with me.”

The Ayrshire-born virtuoso, who won a Classical Brit award in 2008, said she was still shaken by the incident, which she reported to police in January.

Benedetti, who was 16 when she won Young Musician of the Year and signed a £1million recording contract at 17, revealed last year that she had been approached by obsessive fans, some of whom proposed marriage. “It's actually quite frightening,” she said.

The Metropolitan Police were unable to comment on the incident.

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