Emily Maitlis' serial stalker jailed again for sending letters to presenter and family
Edward Vines was 'distraught' that his friendship with Ms Maitlis ended three months after he told her he loved her while they were at university in Cambridge together.
Vines, who refused to attend his sentencing hearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday, sent envelopes, sometimes containing more than one letter, addressed to Ms Maitlis and her relatives.
These letters were intercepted by prison staff at HMP Lowdham Grange in Nottinghamshire, where he was serving a sentence for previous harassment.
The 55-year-old, who represented himself in the trial, denied three counts of breaching a restraining order and one count of attempting to breach a restraining order between May 2023 and February 2024 but was convicted of all offences by a jury in May.
He addressed more than 20 letters to Ms Maitlis and her family over a 10-month period and phoned his brother in July 2023, asking him to contact her mother Marion Maitlis.
The court heard that Vines has 13 previous convictions for 28 offences dating back to 2002 'almost all of which concern harassment or breach of a restraining order' relating to Ms Maitlis.
In a short victim personal statement read to the court by prosecutor Fergus Malone, Ms Maitlis said his offending since has made Ms Maitlis feel 'vulnerable and worried'.
The News Agents podcast presenter wrote: 'For over 30 years I have been living with the consequences of the persistent and unwanted attention of this individual.
'I feel especially vulnerable and worried when the matter comes to trial. The idea that he might be bailed is deeply worrying and I would be very concerned for my safety and the safety of my family.'
Ms Maitlis also described her husband finding Vines on their doorstep, her children needing to be escorted to the school bus, and 'upsetting interactions' with her 92-year-old mother.
Part of an interview she did with Radio 5 Live in 2018 was also read to the court, in which she described feeling 'paranoia' and said the harassment feels like a 'chronic illness'.
Sentencing Vines in his absence, Judge Mark Watson said: 'It is a tragedy that I once again have to deal with Edward Vines for breaking the restraining order imposed to stop him having contact with Emily Maitlis and her family.
'He has shown complete contempt for this order. His contact with her is harassment of her whatever the content of his letters may be.
'In this case she (Ms Maitlis) has been fearful for three decades. In 2018 she described the effects of the fear she felt as a result of Edward Vines's behaviour. It was described by her as like a chronic illness.
'Because of the history of this case, I regard each single letter as a very serious breach. These were also letters that did not get through. They were not threatening or meant as abusive.
'I do accept that because of his mental health issues there is some reduction to his culpability. He was, however, capable of making rational decisions.
'He is a very bright and articulate man – he could have been many things. His obsession with Emily Maitlis has tortured him without release.
'He has wasted more than two decades of his life and regrettably he is set to waste more of it in custody.'
The judge added that Vines's imprisonment is the 'only thing stopping him from contacting the Maitlis family directly'.
Mr Malone told the jury during the trial that Vines wrote a letter addressed to Ms Maitlis, who co-hosts The News Agents podcast, which said: 'I took the audacity of writing to you despite the restraining order because I'm still distraught about what took place between us in 1990.
'I regularly suffer depression over it and have for 30 years. I admit I'm not sure why I suffer so, but suffer I do.'
The restraining order was put in place on September 5 2022 when Vines was convicted of eight counts of breaching a restraining order and he was jailed for eight years.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
27 minutes ago
- The Independent
Family of murdered mother make emotional appeal for ‘justice for Lucy'
The family of a mother shot dead in her Liverpool home 20 years ago has made a fresh appeal for information on her murder. Lucy Hargreaves, 22, was asleep on her sofa when three men burst into her Walton home on 3 August 2005. They fatally injured her, then set fire to the Lambourne Road property, forcing her partner and two-year-old daughter to escape through an upstairs window. Two decades later, her family is urging anyone with details to come forward to help to achieve 'justice for Lucy'. They have also released a previously unshared college photograph of the mother-of-three. Following Ms Hargreaves' death, 'a number of people were contacted by males using a phone that was stolen, along with a vehicle used in Lucy's murder', the family said. The people who received the calls could have information which could be 'crucial in achieving justice for Lucy' and her loved ones, they said. 'We appeal directly to them to please come forward. Now is the time.' Police arrested 21 people as part of their investigation into the murder, but no one has been convicted. A comprehensive review into Ms Hargreaves' death was launched by Merseyside Police two years ago and remains ongoing. Howard Rubbery, head of the serious case review unit, said: 'It is now 20 years since Lucy was taken from her family in the most brutal of circumstances. 'After carrying out the killing, the offenders ignored the cries of a toddler upstairs as they poured petrol around the house and set fire to it. 'Their callous and reckless actions could have claimed the lives of two more people that night, had they not escaped the flames by jumping from a window upstairs.' Merseyside Police are 'as determined as ever' to get justice for Ms Hargreaves, Mr Rubbery said. Her death 'robbed her family of a loving mother and daughter', he said. 'As with any unsolved murder, time is no barrier to our pursuit of justice for Lucy and we appeal to anyone with any information, no matter how small it may seem, to contact us.' Ms Hargreaves' family, who said they 'miss her every single day', welcomed a focus on tackling violence against women and girls in recent years. They praised the families of other victims of gun crime, including the mothers of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt Korbel and 28-year-old Ashley Dale, who were shot in their homes in separate incidents in Liverpool in August 2022. 'The mums of both Ashley Dale and Olivia Pratt Korbel have led a real and powerful community challenge to men of violence.' The family remembered Ms Hargreaves as 'a strong woman who could have achieved so much had she only been given the opportunity'. Detectives are appealing for anyone with information about a gold Lexus car, believed to have been dumped shortly after the shooting on Richard Kelly Drive, Clubmoor, by a number of men who then ran in the direction of Normandale Road. Police previously said they wanted to speak to Kevin Thomas Parle in connection with Ms Hargreaves' murder. Parle, who was believed to be living abroad, was also wanted in connection with the murder of Liam Kelly, 16, who was shot in the early hours of 19 June 2004 in Dingle, Liverpool.
The Sun
28 minutes ago
- The Sun
Win a copy of No Safe Place by Hannah Brennan in this week's Fabulous book competition
THIS debut crime novel is a gripping, gritty read. DCI Liz Field is tasked with investigating two connected murders – one victim was a famous psychologist and the other his former patient who was part of a groundbreaking study he oversaw 15 years ago. With pressure coming at her from all sides, Field must find the killer before they strike again. . . 10 lucky Fabulous readers will win a copy of this new novel in this week's book competition. To win a copy, enter using the form below by 11:59pm on August 16, 2025. For full terms and conditions, click here.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Ambulance chiefs spend £675k on body armour for paramedics after surge in violent attacks on crews
AMBULANCE chiefs are spending £675,000 on stab-proof body armour for paramedics after a rise in violent attacks. It is part of a £3.3million package to protect London Ambulance Service crews. They have seen an 11.9 increase in acts of violence or aggression, from 2,087 incidents in 2023 to 2,337 last year — an average of seven a day. That includes 11 attacks with 'edged weapons' such as knives. LAS bosses have signed a three-year contract for anti-knife gear from Cooneen Defence, which specialises in military combat and protection clothing. The ambulance service's chief executive Jason Killens said: 'Violence towards our crews is utterly appalling and unacceptable. "The impact can be devastating, especially if staff need time off the road to recover. 'Thankfully stabbings and knife injuries are rare for our frontline crews, but we provide all our staff with body armour so we can keep them safe if they feel threatened.' Last year medic Dean Hawkins risked his life to restrain a Tube passenger wielding a knife in Harrow, North West London. In 2022 a paramedic had a knife pushed to his back outside his vehicle at University College Hospital, central London. Last month two LAS members told how a patient they were treating kicked through their windscreen and threw bricks as they tried to help him in Rotherhithe, South East London. The LAS is also spending money on body-worn cameras and improved CCTV. Man in his 20s dies as car ploughs into London pub in horror early hours crash 1
