TV Watch

Simon Cowell Confronts Brick-Wielding Intruder in London Home

By Tim Nudd

03/26/2012 at 09:00 AM EDT

The normally unflappable Simon Cowell was said to be terrified after an alarming incident Saturday night when he came face to face with an intruder wielding a brick in his west London home.

Leanne Zaloumis, 29, thought to be an overzealous fan, was subdued by the X Factor judge's on-site security team, Reuters reports. She was later charged with trespassing on the property and intending to "inflict grievous bodily harm upon a person therein."

Cowell spokesman Max Clifford told the Sun that his client heard a loud bang and rushed upstairs to investigate.

"It came from the bathroom, so he went in – and there was a woman standing there holding a brick," Clifford said. "She had smashed her way in through the window, and it was unclear how long she had been there or what she was doing."



Clifford added: "It was a very frightening experience for Simon, who told me it was like something from a horror movie."

A rep for Cowell declined to comment to PEOPLE, but it is officially now a police matter.

Zaloumis, of Catford is southeast London, was due to appear at West London Magistrates' Court on Monday.