Guy Sebastian seeks AVO against neighbour in five-year fight

Six years of simmering tensions between Sebastian and his elderly neighbour boiled over when the musician was allegedly confronted outside his Maroubra home.

Guy Sebastian’s neighbour allegedly threatened to kill him and kicked over his fence when a long-running feud between the pair escalated on Monday, according to police.

Six years of simmering tensions between Phillip Richard Hanslow, 66, and Sebastian is believed to have boiled over when the musician was allegedly confronted by his neighbour outside their Maroubra homes.

Another resident in the up-market street contacted police after allegedly witnessing the incident, as well as Hanslow allegedly kicking at a boundary fence.

NSW Police confirmed they were called to a neighbour dispute involving threats, and spoke to two men.

Hanslow was charged with stalking with intent to cause physical harm and damaging property. He is due to face Waverley Local Court on February 2.

Guy Sebastian is seen leaving his home in Maroubra today. Picture NCA Newswire/ Gaye Gerard

Under the terms of an AVO issued against Hanslow, he must not contact the singer or go onto his property.

Hanslow is also banned from possessing a firearm or a prohibited weapon.

Tensions between Hanslow and Sebastian are understood to stem back to late 2016 when the singer and his wife Jules began construction on their ‘dream home’.

The couple purchased a $3.1 million home in 2013 then spent almost three years renovating it and creating an ultra-modern ‘fortress-like’ house.

In 2018, Sebastian opened up publicly on radio after an unnamed resident spoke to the media about the ‘monstrosity’ being built, portraying the musician as the ‘neighbour from hell’.

“I’ve got one of those neighbours … he’s a bit filthy at everyone,” Sebastian told Hit105 Breakfast’s Stav, Abby and Matt show.

The two homes in Maroubra. Picture: Jeremy Piper

“He’s one of those guys on the street that sits out the front screwing his eyes up at everyone.”

Sebastian went on to tell the show about an incident where he believed the same neighbour deliberately parked, “two centimetres from the back of the on site crane so it couldn’t swing around and do things”.

When he went over to speak to the man about his choice of parking spot, Sebastian claimed the man’s dog bit him on the leg.

“Meanwhile, while I’m taking to him his dog comes up and bites me – twice. And I still kept the peace, saying, ‘It’s all good’. And my leg’s bleeding,” he joked on radio.

Sebastian playing a baby grand piano at his luxurious Maroubra mansion. Picture: Instagram

In a separate interview, Sebastian defended his home being described by neighbours as ‘fortress-like’, saying it didn’t have many windows at the front because he likes ‘walking around naked’.

“From the front, obviously I don’t have heaps of windows and stuff, I’ve tried to create somewhere private,” he told the Kyle and Jackie O Show in 2019.

Sebastian’s latest court saga comes just two months after his former manager Titus Day was found guilty of embezzling $600,000 from the singer, including earnings for being a support act for US pop star Taylor Swift.

Day, who managed Sebastian from 2007 until 2017, was sentenced to a non-parole term of two-and-a-half years in jail.

Sebastian declined to comment on the neighbour dispute when contacted yesterday.

Sebastian shot to fame when he won Australian Idol in 2003, launching his singing career and leading to other opportunities like being a judge on The Voice Australia.

Before he shot to fame, he was working as a vocal teacher and was a singer at his local church.

His first album Just As I Am went platinum six times and included his debut song from Australian Idol — Angels Brought Me Here.

Sebastian and his wife Jules — who have two sons, Hudson and Archer — set up The Sebastian Foundation in 2013 to help families across Australia in services covering domestic violence, mental health and teen mentoring.

Originally published as Guy Sebastian seeks AVO against neighbour in five-year fight