A stalker who has harassed former BBC presenter Emily Maitlis for over two decades has been found guilty of repeatedly attempting to breaching a restraining order.
Edward Vines went on trial last week at Nottingham Crown Court accused of attempting to breach the order eight times between May 2020 and December 2021, by sending letters to the former Newsnight presenter and her mother.
Vines – who met Ms Maitlis when they were students at Cambridge University – was first convicted of harassment in 2002, resulting in him being handed a restraining order.
The jury heard that after a breach in 2008, a fresh restraining order was given in 2008, which stopped Vines from not only contacting Ms Maitlis but her family as well.
Over the following years, he breached and attempted to breach the order 12 times, involving seven separate prosecutions excluding those that formed part of this latest court case.
A jury today (25 July 2022) found Vines, aged 52, of HMP Nottingham, guilty of a further eight attempted breaches.
He will be sentenced at a later date.
The trial heard Vines had a three-decade “fixation “ with Ms Maitlis and that he was handed a prison sentence in 2020 after continuing to attempt to breach the restraining order.
He continued to attempt the breach the order from behind bars, but all his letters were intercepted by staff at HMP Nottingham.
Following today’s verdict, Sergeant Carl Holland, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Vines has persistently and systematically breached the restraining order, resulting in many court hearings.
“He has spent almost half his life harassing Ms Maitlis and each breach compounds her distress.
“As a force, we take stalking and harassment incredibly seriously and will continue to take vigorous action against Vines through the courts if he continues to reoffend.
“Victims of harassment and stalking will always be taken seriously by the police and this case proves that we will bring to justice people who believe that the law does not apply to them.
“I hope today’s verdict reassures other victims that the police do listen and take action against those who carry out such distressing crimes in our communities.”
