Maitlis stalker’s ‘psychological torture’ of star from inside jail
Obsessed Vines back behind bars
A STALKER who bombarded BBC presenter Emily Maitlis with letters even when he was behind bars for harassing her has been jailed again.
Obsessed Edward Vines subjected the mum-of-two to a campaign of “psychological torture”, a court heard.
Letters he sent to her included repeated references to Jill Dando, the Crimewatch host who was shot dead outside her London home in 1999.
In one, he warned Newsnight’s Emily: “I will not relent until you talk to me.”
He posted her three letters in 2016 while serving time at Bullingdon prison in Oxfordshire. When the 47-year-old was released early on licence, he ramped up his attempts to contact her.
After Vines, of Oxford, admitted breaching his restraining order, Emily, also 47, said in an impact statement to the city’s crown court: “When I heard I felt scared and let down.
“Scared because it meant that even from within the prison system the perpetrator was able to reach me. Let down because the system had been unable to stop him getting in touch even though the crime he is serving time for is harassment through unwanted and ongoing contact.
“It has affected my relationship with my husband who is frustrated that we cannot get to the bottom of this problem and it has scared my children who thought the threat had gone away, albeit temporarily whilst he was behind bars.”
Emily was not in court to see Vines jailed for 45 months. Judge Peter Ross labelled his actions “psychological torture”. He told him: “Once again in the course of the correspondence, Jill Dando’s name is mentioned by you. It is understandable in the context of your obsession and what happened to Jill Dando that those responsible for Ms Maitlis’ safety will have great concerns.”
He added: “There is considerable concern he was able to write the first batch of letters from prison.
“I will inform the governor and a letter will be on my desk explaining wholly unacceptable lapses of security. It is something of a scandal.”
Vines’ obsession with Emily began after the two met at Cambridge Uni in 1989. He has nine previous convictions for 15 offences relating to the presenter and her family dating back to 2002.