Nicole Richie 'granted restraining order'

Nicole Richie has been granted a restraining order against a Los Angeles photographer who has allegedly been stalking her daughter.

A Los Angeles judge granted the star's request on Wednesday for an order of protection against Fabricio Luis Mariotto, who she had photographed loitering with his camera around 2-year-old Harlow's pre-school, reports TMZ.

"[Mariotto] drives erratically around my children and others, yells, screams and attempts to scare us so that he can photograph our reaction," Richie wrote in the court petition.

"He trespasses on preschool property to photograph the children. He has often left his car in the middle of a busy street just to chase me for a photograph."

She added: "His predatory behaviour caused and continues to cause severe emotional distress as I fear for the safety of my children."

The temporary restraining order forbids Mariotto from coming within 100 yards of Harlow, Richie, husband Benji Madden and the couple's other child Sparrow, as well as the pre-school in question.