Paris Hilton’s boyfriend Cy Waits attacked outside Van Nuys court

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Is there nowhere Paris Hilton can feel safe? On her way into court Wednesday to testify against a man accused of attempting to break into her home in August, the socialite and boyfriend Cy Waits found themselves in harm’s way again as a man identified as one who’d been arrested outside her home last fall reportedly lunged at Waits.

‘On my way to the court house to testify against the intruder,’ Hilton had tweeted earlier in the day. ‘I’m very nervous to see him face to face again. :( ‘

Turns out there was someone else to worry about in the vicinity of Van Nuys Superior Court. ‘That other psycho intruder just punched Cy in the back of the head as we were walking into the court house,’ Hilton tweeted. ‘So scary!’

Other intruder? The alleged assailant -- witnesses said he appeared to get a hand on Waits’ neck before being seized by a bodyguard and taken away -- was identified as James Rainford. Security guards in October had put Rainford under citizen’s arrest outside Hilton’s home after he allegedly bicycled past guards at the entrance to her gated community, went to her place and began pounding on her door.

Rainford, 36, who pleaded no contest to civil assault and was sentenced to three years’ probation, said during the incident that he knows Hilton and in fact had permission from her father to marry her, TMZ reported.

[Updated, 5:30 p.m.: Rainford was booked on a misdemeanor shortly before 3 p.m. at the Valley Jail Section of the LAPD’s Van Nuys Station; his bail was set at $20,000.]

After facing Nathan Lee Parada in court, Hilton had more to say about the allegedly knife-wielding man who was arrested outside her Sherman Oaks home last August.

‘So creepy seeing that guy in court today, it sent shivers down my spine,’ she tweeted.

Waits had held Parada at gunpoint outside his girlfriend’s house until police arrived. News helicopters later caught Hilton, wearing only a towel, checking out the scene from her balcony.

Even with the fracas, court in Van Nuys was at least a little easier on the heiress than her September court date in Las Vegas.

RELATED:

Japan just says no to Paris Hilton and her drug conviction

Nathan Lee Parada charged in Paris Hilton break-in attempt

Paris Hilton, Cy Waits look at engagement rings -- and she has an app for that

-- Christie D’Zurilla

The Associated Press contributed to this report.