Former Councillor Convicted of Stalking Senior MP
A 61-year-old man has been found guilty of stalking prominent Conservative MP Dame Penny Mordaunt. Edward Brandt, a former councillor, was convicted by a majority jury verdict of 10 to 2 at Southampton Crown Court following a trial that revealed the MP's genuine fears for her safety.
Pattern of Unwanted Contact and Harassment
The court heard how Brandt engaged in a persistent campaign of contact between September 11, 2023 and May 12, 2024. This included sending at least 17 emails and three phone messages to the MP, alongside visiting her Portsmouth constituency office outside normal operating hours.
Brandt, who resided on the Isle of Wight during the offences, had previously been issued with a conditional caution in April 2024 requiring him to complete a victim awareness course and cease contact with Dame Penny. The court heard he failed to comply with these conditions, leaving further voicemails on May 6 and 10, 2024.
In one particularly concerning message, Brandt stated: "I am going to go on gently knocking at your door in order to shake your hand, I am not giving up."
MP's Fear and Emotional Court Impact
Dame Penny provided a powerful victim statement to police, expressing that she "feared sexual violence" due to what she described as Brandt's "creepy" behaviour. She told the court that despite facing various threats during her 14-year parliamentary career, this case felt different.
"The difference between this case and even threats to shoot me and my family," she explained, "they are easier to deal with because that threat is not constantly present, it's not something you are having to think about every single day when you are leaving your house."
The MP, who has served as Commons Leader and contested the Tory leadership, emphasised her belief that Brandt represented a "real threat" that remained ongoing.
Defence Arguments and Case Outcome
Brandt, a professional sailor and divorced father-of-two now living in Lymington, Hampshire, claimed his intentions were purely political and harmless. He told the court he wanted to commiserate with Dame Penny for not becoming prime minister, congratulate her on her role in the coronation, and have her sign a copy of her book.
The defendant, who revealed diagnoses of ADHD and autism spectrum disorder, stated he "harmlessly kept trying" to make contact after receiving no responses from her office.
While convicted of stalking, Brandt was acquitted of the more serious charge of stalking involving serious alarm or distress. He wept and covered his face as the verdict was delivered.
Judge William Mousley KC adjourned sentencing until January 16, ordering a pre-sentence report from the Probation Service. Brandt was released on conditional bail pending the hearing. The court had previously made him subject to an interim stalking protection order in July 2024.
