**Emily Maitlis’ Longtime Stalker Imprisoned Once More for Persistent Violations of Restraining Order**
A man with a lengthy history of obsessively pursuing prominent journalist Emily Maitlis has been jailed for five years after again breaching a restraining order intended to protect her and her family. Edward Vines, 55, was found guilty at Nottingham Crown Court of multiple breaches, following a string of letters he sent to the former BBC Newsnight presenter and her relatives from prison.
Vines, who attended university at Cambridge with Ms Maitlis and has evidently been deeply affected by the loss of their friendship three decades ago, had ended up back before the courts for continuing his campaign of unwanted communication. Despite clear legal instructions to avoid any contact, he persisted in writing to Ms Maitlis and her family, in some cases using his brother as an intermediary, behaviour that was discovered and intercepted by staff at HMP Lowdham Grange where he was already serving time for previous harassment offences.
The court heard that between May 2023 and February 2024, Vines attempted to breach the restraining order through more than 20 letters and a telephone call to his brother asking him to contact Ms Maitlis’s mother. Throughout the proceedings, Vines represented himself and denied the allegations; however, a jury found him guilty on all counts. Notably, he refused to attend his own sentencing hearing this week.
In a poignant personal statement read to the court, Ms Maitlis, who now co-hosts The News Agents podcast, outlined the profound toll the persistent stalking has taken upon her life. “For over 30 years I have been living with the consequences of the persistent and unwanted attention of this individual,” she wrote. Recounting distressing incidents such as Vines appearing on her doorstep and her children needing a chaperone to the school bus, she expressed ongoing fear for her family’s safety whenever the case came up for trial.
Ms Maitlis’s concerns were echoed by the sentencing judge, Mark Watson. Describing Vines’s breaches as “very serious”, the judge characterised the repeated attempts at contact as harassment in themselves, regardless of the actual content of the letters, which were neither overtly threatening nor abusive. “His obsession with Emily Maitlis has tortured him without release,” said Judge Watson. “He has wasted more than two decades of his life and regrettably he is set to waste more of it in custody”. Judge Watson added that imprisonment remains the only reliable barrier preventing further harassment.
The court also learnt that Vines’s criminal record includes 13 convictions stemming from 28 offences, almost all linked to breaches of restraining orders or harassment directed at Ms Maitlis. The ongoing nature of Vines’s obsession, persisting in the face of repeated legal consequences, paints a sombre picture of the limits of protective measures in stalking cases.
Ms Maitlis, reflecting publicly in a previous interview, described the lasting psychological effects as akin to “a chronic illness”, underscoring the profound and enduring impact of relentless harassment. The case further highlights the complexities faced by victims, whose lives can remain under a shadow long after restraining orders are put in place.
Despite the seriousness of his actions, the judge did acknowledge that Vines’s mental health issues may have lessened his culpability to some extent. Nevertheless, Judge Watson concluded that Vines remained capable of rational decisions, noting that “he is a very bright and articulate man – he could have been many things”.
The restraining order, in effect since September 2022 following an earlier eight-year jail sentence for repeated breaches, remains in place. It stands as a stark reminder of the legal, emotional, and social battles faced by stalking victims – battles that, as this case shows, can continue over decades.
With Vines once again behind bars, perhaps Ms Maitlis and her family may be afforded a period of respite. Yet, this case serves as a powerful commentary on the critical importance of robust interventions and ongoing support for those subjected to persistent stalking.