Mordaunt stalking accused says actions 'harmless'

Dame Penny Mordaunt gave evidence in court

A man accused of stalking Dame Penny Mordaunt told police his actions were "harmless" and he had only wanted to "shake her hand", a court has heard.

Edward Brandt, 61, denies stalking intending serious alarm or distress in regards to the former MP for Portsmouth North.

The jury at Southampton Crown Court heard he sent multiple emails and phone messages to Dame Penny and also turned up at her Portsmouth office out of hours in a bid to meet her.

Dame Penny, who was an MP from 2010 to 2024, said in a statement to police that she "feared sexual violence" because of the defendant's "creepy" behaviour, the court previously heard.

The alleged offending occurred between 11 September 2023 and 12 May 2024.

Mr Brandt was arrested in March last year and given a conditional caution the following month, requiring him not to contact the former Conservative Party leadership candidate, but he then left two voicemail messages for her.

In one of the messages, he wrote: "I am going to go on gently knocking at your door in order to shake your hand, I am not giving up."

He also failed to comply with other terms of the conditional caution which required him to complete a victim awareness course, the trial heard.

He was made subject to an interim stalking protection order at Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court in July last year.

In a police interview after being arrested in May 2024, he said that he had tried to contact the MP again because he wanted to "set the record straight".

He said: "I am not about to commit physical violence or sexual assault... it's a mighty big sledgehammer to smash a tiny nut."

He continued: "Everything she said in that statement was wholly, wholly inaccurate.

"I just want to explain to her what she said was completely untrue, [there was] no malice whatsoever, it's completely harmless, friendly, congratulatory, 'Well done you'."

He also said: "She's getting other people to do her dirty work for her."

"My interest is purely political, purely congratulatory... I wanted to get a signed copy of her book, it's a mountain out of a mole hill," he told police.

Earlier, the court heard how on one weekend in December 2023 Mr Brandt pushed his way through a security gate at Lakeside business park in Portsmouth where Dame Penny had her constituency office.

Neil Tombs, a security officer, told the court he saw Brandt push through the barrier setting off an alarm. Dame Penny was in her office at the time.

Mr Tombs said: "After I shouted 'Oi, stop' and I started running, at that time he wasn't far from any office, I was trying to stop him going any further.

"He turned around and looked at me that time. He started asking me questions about Penny Mordaunt, that's when I realised her office wasn't that far away.

"I remember him asking when is she here. I said 'Monday to Friday only' and 'you need an appointment to see anyone here, not just Penny Mordaunt'."

He then escorted him out of the building.

The trial continues.