Cellist who teaches music at Alan Rickman and Hugh Grant's £24,000-a-year private school 'stalked auction house executive by sending him pictures and gifts'

The Head of Strings at a private school renowned for producing Hollywood stars allegedly bombarded an executive at a prestigious auction house with unsolicited pictures and gifts.

Cellist Helen Neilson, 45, is accused of sending sales manager Rainer Cocron photographs, messages and presents from July 2021 to July 2022 after meeting him to buy an instrument.

The teacher at the £24,000-a-year Latymer Upper School in London is said to have caused 'serious alarm' to Mr Cocron after meeting with him to purchase a 'rare and expensive' instrument from Ingles and Hayday, in Fitzrovia, central London.

Magistrates heard Neilson admits contacting Mr Cocron to buy the instrument but argues her conduct did not amount to stalking.

At Westminster Magistrates' Court today Neilson denied a single charge of stalking involving serious alarm and will now stand trial on September 4 and September 5.

Her lawyer Mr Matthew Graham, who is privately instructed, said: 'The allegation arises through the course of the purchase of a musical instrument.

'The defendant was purchasing a musical instrument from a business where the complainant in the case works.

'There was a fairly unremarkable conversation about the purchase of the instrument over a few weeks and months.'

But prosecutors say Neilson's conduct went beyond discussing the item and included unwanted pictures, letters, emails and gifts.

Rhianne Neil prosecuting said: 'Between July 2021 and July 2022, the defendant sent unwanted emails, photographs and gifts to the complainant.'

Latymer Upper School is renowned for producing acting talent including Alan Rickman, who played Severus Snape in Harry Potter, Hugh Grant who starred in Love Actually and Imogen Poots.

Neilson, from Clapham, south London was granted unconditional bail by Magistrate Caroline Joy.

She will stand trial at the City of London Magistrates' Court.