Hutchence daughter Tiger Lily at centre of threats and fears
Police in NSW and Queensland were forced to intervene in the wake of Michael Hutchence’s death with the women in the rocker’s life trading threats and prompting fears for the safety of his daughter Tiger Lily. EXCLUSIVE POLICE TAPE PODCAST
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As the world was still reeling from the death of rocker Michael Hutchence, behind the scenes two of the women in his life were embroiled in an ugly fury involving his will and his daughter that forced the intervention by both Queensland and NSW police.
Such became the intense animosity between Hutchence’s partner Paula Yates and his mother Patricia Glassop in the weeks post his death, there were fears Ms Yates may harm then baby Tiger Lily and police even arrested a journalist and were set to lay charges to prevent the feud becoming public.
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For police it was all a distraction as they were still working with the coroner’s office to finalise the report on the INXS frontman’s November 22, 1997 death.
On March 30 the following year police officers were dispatched to the Quay West apartments at The Rocks in Sydney to formally check the welfare of 20-month-old Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily.
Paula Yates was in Sydney with their daughter for the baby’s christening but then allegedly began making abusive telephone calls to Mrs Glassop related to his estate, at one point estimated to have been worth at least $20 million.
Yates’ mental state was also brought into question.
A confidential “situation report” from the police visit, two days before Tiger Lily’s St Peter’s Church in Watsons Bay christening, found the child to be “in good spirits and obviously well cared for” contrary to what Mrs Glassop had reported.
“Surfers Paradise Police Station advised that over the last two days telephone calls of a threatening nature were made allegedly by Paula Yates to Mrs Patricia Glassop, Main Beach, Surfers Paradise (Mother of the late Michael Hutchence),” the report read.
“There was some concern that Ms Yates may harm her child, Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily, daughter of Paula Yates and Michael Hutchence.”
It concluded: “There is no concern for the welfare of the child. Surfers Paradise police advised and will inform Patricia Glassop.”
Police also had to speak with Yates’ travel companion Belinda Brewin, her New York-based agent Martha Troup and barrister Andrew Young regarding an apparent “dispute” between Mrs Glassop and Ms Yates over Hutchence’s will. Ms Yates’ lawyer was also interviewed.
This journalist was arrested after obtaining the confidential police report into the matter and was told he would be charged for attempting to write the story before lawyers later intervened and the case to prosecute was dropped.
Tiger Lily never knew her Aussie rocker dad having grown up in London. According to Mrs Glassop the first time the child realised who her father was almost 10 years later in 2006 when during an agreed visit to Australia she showed her granddaughter old INXS music videos and told her the frontman was her daddy.
Her equally famous rocker stepfather Bob Geldof had sought to shield her from the family and would not even let her attend Mrs Glassop’s funeral when she died in 2010.
For crisis support and suicide prevention — Lifeline Australia 13 11 14
Originally published as Hutchence daughter Tiger Lily at centre of threats and fears
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