Emily Maitlis stalker jailed for further breaches

A man who has harassed broadcaster Emily Maitlis for more than 30 years has been jailed for breaching restraining orders.

Edward Vines was found guilty of sending letters to the News Agents podcast presenter and her parents while serving at HMP Lowdham Grange in Nottinghamshire.

The 55-year-old - who was representing himself but refused to attend his hearing after disengaging during his trial - was also found guilty of encouraging his brother to get in contact with the Maitlis family.

Sentencing Vines to five years in prison at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday, Judge Mark Watson described his offending as "an extreme case".

Previous cases involving Vines have heard he developed a "fixation" with the former BBC Newsnight presenter after the pair met when they were students at the University of Cambridge.

The court heard more than 20 letters were intercepted over 10 months, which Vines had sent in his efforts to contact Maitlis and her family.

He had been interviewed twice by police but still attempted to make contact, and also asked his brother to contact Maitlis's mother.

In May he was found guilty of three counts of breaching the conditions of his restraining order, and found guilty of one attempted breach regarding his request to his brother.

Fergus Malone, prosecuting, said: "Mr Vines demonstrates a persistent and enduring obsession, which has been never-ending, with Emily Maitlis."

In a victim impact statement read to the court by the prosecution, Maitlis said she feared for the safety of herself and her family due to the actions of Vines.

Her statement said her husband had once opened the door to their house to find Vines outside, and also outlined an occasion when police needed to escort her children on to their school bus.

She said she found the idea he could be bailed "deeply worrying", and said she was concerned for the safety of herself and her family due to the defendant's behaviour.

"For over 30 years I've been living with the consequences of the harassment and the unwanted attention of this individual," she said.

The court also heard summaries of a 2018 BBC Radio 5 Live interview, when Maitlis said living with the effects of what Vines had done "feels like a chronic illness".

The court heard Vines has 13 convictions for 28 previous offences dating back to 2002, most of which relate to his contact with Maitlis, and had repeatedly breached conditions set out in restraining orders.

Judge Watson said he was satisfied passing sentence in the absence of the defendant, noting an adjournment was not likely to compel him to attend court.

While the letters sent by Vines were not said to be containing threatening material, he said any attempted contact constituted a breach of the order.

He criticised the defendant for disregarding the conditions of the restraining order to stop trying to contact the Maitlis family, and said that when he was prevented from "airing his grievances publicly" to the jury in the trial, he "became obstructive and angry".

"It is a tragedy that once again I have to deal with Edward Vines," he said.

"He has shown complete contempt for this order."

Describing the offending as "an extreme case", Judge Watson said handing out further custodial sentences for Vines to serve was "the only way to deter him from further offending".

"I'm quite satisfied that his imprisonment is the only thing stopping him from contacting the Maitlis family directly," he said.

"The overall effects of his efforts have been profound."

The judge said Vines had "wasted" decades of his life in his pursuit of Maitlis, adding his obsession "has tortured him without release".

"He is a very bright, articulate man," he said.

"He could have been many things."