Bodyguard to the stars lifts lid on the job

A Shropshire man who has provided elite bodyguarding to the stars, including Michael Jackson, is lifting the lid on his work in a new book that is being hailed as an industry bible.

The New Bodyguard, written by 40-year-old Kevin Horak, from Shrewsbury, contains more than 350 pages with 230 photographs and a foreword by the former director of the SAS, Lieutenant General Sir John Foley.

Giving a frank account of the profession and de-constructing some of its myths and misconceptions, a newly revised version of the book provides a practical manual to the crucial aspects of close protection.

The book reveals secrets about managing risk and threat assessments, surveillance techniques, the use of firearms, bomb threats and bomb avoidance.

Westminster

Over the last 12 years, Mr Horak, who is managing director of Clearwater Special Projects, has been responsible for more than 700 close protection and specialist security assignments.

He is currently working at Westminster with an all-party parliamentary committee of MPs looking at national security issues.

In the book he uses his experience to give an insider's view of what is needed to work successfully in this most elite and demanding industry.

Mr Horak has worked on close protection assignments for numerous grade 'A' celebrities, politicians and royalty.

Whilst never divulging details about any clients, and thus upholding his company's strict confidentiality policy, the book does contain numerous photos of its author working with high profile clients.

"In an increasingly unstable world, close protection is more relevant today than it has ever been," said Mr Horak.

By Ben Bentley