Cowell "brick" burglar remanded

A woman charged with breaking into the London home of television entrepreneur Simon Cowell and wielding a brick has been remanded in custody.

29-year-old Leanne Zaloumis appeared in the dock at West London Magistrates' Court on Monday (March 26).

She was charged with trespassing on the music mogul's property on Saturday (March 24) night before smashing his bathroom window and hiding in his walk-in wardrobe.

Cowell's publicist Max Clifford talked to British newspaper The Sun tabloid, saying:

"There was a loud bang and Simon rushed upstairs to find out what was going on."

"It came from the bathroom so he went in - and there was a woman standing there holding a brick."

"It was very frightening for Simon who told me it was like something from a horror movie."

The West London magistrates court ruled Zaloumis will remain in jail until June 12, when a crown court judge will hear her case.

Security has been stepped up on Cowell's nine million pound, 14.2 million dollar, house.

Cowell, the creator of shows "American Idol" and "X Factor", recently returned to the UK as a judge on one of his other programmes "Britain's Got Talent".

It premiered over the weekend against rival "The Voice", with both sides claiming victory in the ratings stakes.

Cindy Martin, Reuters