BBC presenter fears her stalker will never stop

Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis criticised a clear “systemic failure” in the criminal justice system as she revealed she fears her stalker will never stop.

The BBC journalist compared enduring Edward Vines’ 20-year harassment campaign to “living with a chronic illness” after he was jailed again this week.

Vines, 47, has stalked the TV presenter since they were both students at Cambridge University in the mid-1990s.

“This has literally been going on for 20 years,” Ms Maitlis told BBC Radio 5 live. “It feels like sort of a chronic illness.

“It’s not that it ever goes away. It’s not that I ever believe it will stop or he will stop or the system will manage to prevent it 0 Emily Maitlis compared harassment to ‘chronic illness’ properly.” Vines was jailed for 45 months on Tuesday for continuing to breach his restraining order by writing to his victim from prison and his bail hostel.

The case prompted the Ministry of Justice to “apologise unreservedly” for the blunders and distress caused to Ms Maitlis.