Delta Goodrem: Singer’s stalker James Lafferty convicted for second time

An obsessed fan who was convicted of stalking Delta Goodrem last year has pleaded guilty to lurking around the 36-year-old’s Sydney CBD apartment on at least two occasions recently.

Delta Goodrem joked she was looking for a new name after the delta variant of Covid struck Sydney but behind the scenes the Aussie songstress has been dealing with problems of another sinister nature.

Confidential can reveal an obsessed fan — who was convicted of stalking Goodrem last year — has admitted to lurking around the 36-year-old’s Sydney CBD apartment on at least two occasions in recent months despite being forbidden by a court from doing so.

Grafton man James Lafferty, 49, pleaded guilty in the NSW Local Court this month to two counts of contravening a prohibition in an apprehended violence order, which was taken out by authorities to protect Goodrem following his initial arrest last year.

Delta Goodrem pictured on the Red Carpet for the Australian Premiere of Hamilton the musical in March. Picture: Damian Shaw

James Lafferty outside the Downing Centre Local Court in February 2020. Picture: AAP

As part of the order, Lafferty is forbidden from going within 50 metres of Goodrem’s flat.

But, according to a police fact sheet tendered to the court, police officers saw him driving in his white Holden Commodore in the vicinity of Goodrem’s home on April 26, 2021.

The officers immediately did a U-turn in an effort to try and stop him but could not find him again, the documents state.

On May 6, 2021, police saw Lafferty yet again near Goodrem’s apartment and pulled him over with their warning lights activated to ask him why he was breaching his court order.

He claimed he was merely returning from his brother’s home in Coogee and was on his way to Richmond in Sydney’s northwest, the documents state.

Delta Goodrem pictured in April. Picture: David Geraghty

After confirming the status of the court order, police placed him under arrest over breaching it and took him into custody.

Despite his initial explanation to officers at the scene, Lafferty pleaded guilty to contravening the AVO twice in court before magistrate Margaret Quinn convicted him and sentenced him to a 15-month community correction order.

The court documents state police hold fears for Goodrem’s safety because Lafferty has continued his harassing behaviour towards her even after the order was put in place and after being convicted of offences relating to his prior behaviour towards her.

He has attended her home to try to talk with her and has also made contact with a friend of hers, the fact sheet states.

James Lafferty returns to the Downing Centre Local Court after a lunch break in Sydney, on February 18, 2020. Picture: AAP

Last year in court Magistrate Ian McRae granted Lafferty bail but warned him to stay away from Goodrem.

He said: “I would have thought if you’ve written 300 poems and you’re annoying her and she hasn’t responded to any of them you’re really wasting your time”.

Lafferty replied: “I wanted to meet her, I know it’s ridiculous, I know love does strange things, but I’ll stay away if that’s what she wants.”

Goodrem would not comment when contacted.

Originally published as Delta Goodrem: Singer’s stalker James Lafferty convicted for second time