A stalker with a three-decade “obsession” with Emily Maitlis has been jailed for eight years after making an attempt to breach a restraining order for the twentieth time.
Edward Vines wrote eight letters addressed to Maitlis and her mom expressing his “unrequited” love for the previous Newsnight presenter, a court docket heard.
He tried to ship the letters from HMP Nottingham between May 2020 and December 2021.
A decide at Nottingham Crown Court advised Vines he had proven “breathtaking persistence” in his efforts to contact Maitlis, saying it was clear the defendant noticed the restraining order as “meaningless”.
Jurors had been advised that Vines had “systematically and with increasing frequency” breached two separate restraining orders imposed on him in 2002 and 2009 – with 12 breaches to his title and 7 separate prosecutions.
For the ultimate two of his earlier breaches, Vines was jailed for 3 years after a decide mentioned he feared there was “no sight of this ever ending” and described the defendant’s behaviour as a “life-long obsession”.
In one among his letters to Maitlis, Vines advised her he would “continue to brood and to write letters in prison”, except she spoke to him about “her behaviour” whereas they had been at Cambridge University collectively in 1990.
Stalker had ‘insatiable need’ to contact Maitlis
The 52-year-old beforehand stood trial in October final 12 months and after proceedings had been halted attributable to medical points, he wrote two additional letters during which he tried responsible Maitlis for not admitting to being “attracted to him”.
He denied eight counts of making an attempt to breach a restraining order, however was unanimously convicted of all counts by a jury.
Prosecutor Ian Way spoke of Vine’s “insatiable desire” to talk with Maitlis, with the stalker admitting he would ship letters to her if he was free of jail.
Despite the prolonged jail sentence and the imposition of a restraining order, Judge Mark Watson advised the defendant he “remained undeterred and continued in (his) efforts”.
He advised Vines: “In my judgment, you have shown breathtaking persistence and a complete disregard for the order and the proceedings you were awaiting.
“The solely factor stopping you from contacting her is your continued imprisonment.
“It is an obsession from which you have been unable to escape.”
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Maitlis – who performed an notorious interview with Prince Andrew in 2019 – declined to present a sufferer influence assertion to the court docket forward of the sentencing listening to.
The journalist has beforehand advised how the harassment “scared” her kids and reminded her that Vines “remains a constant threat in my life”.
During the trial, Mr Way advised jurors he demonstrated a “persistent and obsessive fixation” with Ms Maitlis.
He mentioned: “For a period in excess of three decades, the defendant has demonstrated a persistent and obsessive fixation with the BBC journalist and broadcaster Emily Maitlis, whom he met at university in the 1990s.
“He cannot let go of one thing that he perceived was a flawed to him 30 years up to now, and that, we are saying, is what’s driving him.”
Nottinghamshire Police’s Sergeant Carl Holland, who led the investigation, said Vines was “losing his life by persevering with this futile marketing campaign of harassment”.
“We can solely hope actuality now lastly dawns on him, and he stops committing these offences,” he added.
Source: information.sky.com”