Commando Steve Willis gives evidence against alleged stalker in AVO case
Steve ‘Commando’ Willis says his alleged stalker was jealous, gave him Christmas gifts and once asked to go on a car ride with him from Sydney to Melbourne.
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Celebrity trainer Steve ‘Commando’ Willis has told a court the woman he described as his “stalker” asked him to take her on trips and showed up to the airport and his apartment unannounced - with ex wife Michelle Bridges telling her to leave.
But his former client Jun Yue said the Biggest Loser star, who she called ‘Shifu’ meaning ‘master’ in Mandarin, never told her to stop contacting him.
Willis gave evidence against Yue, who goes by ‘Margaret’, at Parramatta Local Court on Tuesday as part of an application for an apprehended violence order. Yue has not been charged with any criminal offence.
Willis told the court his family received Christmas presents from the Roseberry woman, she “stalked” his location on social media and she acted “jealous” when he trained other clients.
“I’ve been anxious, distressed. It was purely a trainer and client relationship but those boundaries were crossed,” Willis said.
The court heard Yue trained one-on-one with Willis three to four times a week and participated in his bootcamps between March 2019 and May 2020, forking out about $19,000 in total.
Yue’s barrister Michael Fokkes said Willis was “milking Margaret for as much as he could” and only approached police when the “relationship soured”.
“If the stalking was so bad, you would have thought the training sessions would have stopped long ago,” Mr Fokkes said.
“A financial dispute arose and the relationship soured. That’s when this came up.”
Wilis said he raised the issue with Yue in person.
He said Yue showed up to his apartment and ex wife Bridges asked her to leave.
“When someone shows up at your apartment and your ex goes down and asks them to leave the facility...and that person is also in the media. And they are seen outside the apartment...,” he said.
Willis said Bridges felt “uncomfortable” when Yue asked for a lift in his car from Sydney to Melbourne to a camp.
“(Yue) was continually asking to go on trips with me, to be in a car with me to a location,” he said.
“(Bridges) had explicitly expressed to me she was not comfortable with (Yue) travelling with me to Melbourne. It was unnerving that (Yue) kept persisting.”
And when Yue showed up to the airport unannounced when he arrived home from a bootcamp in Tahiti, Willis said it was “strange”.
But Yue told the court he had given her lifts and she was “returning the favour”.
Willis alleged Yue owed him cash and he asked to be paid. He said Yue found his location via social media and drove 40 minutes to confront him at North Sydney at night.
“I was leaving a training session and she tapped on my car window,” he told the court.
“She said she’d pay me if I trained her on Friday, her birthday. I was rattled. It was dark. She said: ‘I’ve been coming here every day of the week”. Yue denied saying this and said she only turned up to repay Willis.
Yue’s barrister Mr Fokkes said the amount of communication between the pair was normal for the high number of training sessions Yue had.
He said Willis never once told his client the numerous texts and Instagram messages were inappropriate.
Mr Fokkes said Willis misinterpreted Margaret’s jealousy for annoyance.
“You went overtime training other people five or ten minutes more, digging into my client’s training time,” he said, an assertion Willis denied.
Magistrate Jennifer Price said she would reserve her decision until later this month.
ALLEGED STALKER GAVE ME CHRISTMAS GIFTS: COMMANDO
Celebrity trainer Steve ‘Commando’ Willis has told a court the woman he described as his “stalker” bought his family presents, asked him to take her on trips, acted “jealous” and showed up to his apartment unannounced - with ex wife Michelle Bridges telling her to leave.
The Biggest Loser trainer gave evidence against his former client Jun Yue, who goes by ‘Margaret’, at Parramatta Local Court on Tuesday as part of an application for an apprehended violence order. Yue has not been charged with any criminal offence.
Willis told the court his family received Christmas presents from Yue, she “stalked” his location on social media and she acted “jealous” when he trained other clients.
“I’ve been anxious, distressed. The impact it’s had on my life, my partner’s life. There’s children involved in this matter,” Willis said.
“It was purely a trainer and client relationship but those boundaries were crossed.”
The court heard Yue trained one on one with Willis three to four times a week since March 2019, about 120 times in total, forking out $150 a session.
In evidence tendered to the court, Willis said Yue’s behaviour “became a little strange”.
“(Yue) was continually asking to go on trips with me, to be in a car with me to a location,” he said.
“There’s unnecessary stress on my partner (Harika Vancuylenberg) and how (she) perceives that… and the fears are real.”
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He said Yue showed up to his apartment and ex wife Bridges asked her to leave.
“When someone shows up at your apartment and your ex goes down and asks them to leave the facility...and that person is also in the media. And they are seen outside the apartment...,” he said.
Willis said Bridges felt “uncomfortable” when Yue asked for a lift in his car from Sydney to Melbourne to a camp.
“(Bridges) had explicitly expressed to me she was not comfortable with (Yue) travelling with me to Melbourne,” he said.
“It was unnerving that (Yue) kept persisting.”
Willis alleged Yue owed him cash and he asked to be paid. He said Yue found his location via social media and drove 40 minutes to confront him at North Sydney at night.
“I was leaving a training session and she tapped on my car window,” he told the court.
“She said she’d pay me if I trained her on Friday, her birthday. I was rattled. It was dark. She said: ‘I’ve been coming here every day of the week”.
“I said: You either pay me now (Yue), or I’m driving away’.”
Yue’s barrister Michael Fokkes said the amount of communication between the pair was normal for the high number of training sessions Yue had.
He said Willis had introduced her to his yoga teacher friend ‘Ray’ when she travelled across the country to Perth to attend one of his training camps.
Mr Fokkes said Willis misinterpreted Margaret’s jealousy for annoyance.
“You went overtime training other people five or ten minutes more, digging into my client’s training time,” he said.
Willis will finish his evidence and then Yue will give her evidence after the lunch break
BIGGEST LOSER TRAINER IN COURT
Steve ‘Commando’ Willis has praised his new girlfriend for her ongoing support through his court spat with a former client he has accused of “stalking”.
The Biggest Loser trainer arrived at Parramatta Court on Tuesday, hand-in-hand with Harika Vancuylenberg, ahead of an apprehended violence order hearing against Jun Yue.
Willis, who split from Michelle Bridges last year, told The Daily Telegraph his F45 trainer girlfriend had helped him navigate the difficult legal process.
“She’s definitely been supportive,” Willis said.
“It’s unfortunate that things have got to this point. This isn’t particularly the place I wanted to spend my day.”
Willis arrived at court wearing a pink dress shirt and sunglasses, while Vancuylenberg wore all black with a statement silver necklace, Gucci belt and sunglasses.
On a court break, the pair strolled to a nearby park together, looking comfortable and happy with each other.
On May 30, police said in a statement they were called to Willis’ Beaumont Hills home following reports a woman was seen in the area.
An interim AVO was subsequently taken out by police on Mr Willis’ behalf.
Willis claims Margaret owes him $1300, but she insists she has already paid him.
“We just want to get on with life. And for the matter to be resolved and put behind us,” he said.
Willis said the case has not stalled his fitness career.
“No, not at all. We’re doing lots of outdoor training. If people want to come train with us, they ,” he said.
Yue previously told the Telegraph: “I didn’t follow anyone. He has now accused me of stalking.”
Willis said he met his new flame through fitness.
The pair have previously been snapped training together.