Emily Maitlis stalker trial halted over defendant's medication

Emily Maitlis was at Cambridge University with Edward Vines

The trial of a stalker accused of attempting to breach a restraining order against BBC Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis has been halted.

Nottingham Crown Court heard this was because the defendant, Edward Vines, had not been given his medication for three days.

Vines, who denied six offences, had not received medication "for the duration of the trial", the court heard.

The judge said she had "no choice but to stop" proceedings.

Vines, 51, was accused of six counts of attempting to breach a restraining order - between May 2020 and September 2021 - by writing from HMP Nottingham.

Jurors previously heard Vines had "systematically and with increasing frequency" breached two separate restraining orders imposed in 2002 and 2009, with 12 breaches to his name and seven separate prosecutions.

The defendant told the court he had to breach the order "to prove my innocence".

Vines refused to answer whether he had a reasonable excuse to write the letters, which were intercepted by prison staff

Judge Julie Warburton told jurors: "Inquiries revealed that he [Vines] had not been given his medication for the entire duration of the trial.

"He simply had not been given it, and he should have been.

"It has really left me with absolutely no choice but to stop the trial.

"I cannot now be sure that he was in a state that was appropriate, or if he was fit to conduct his own defence or give evidence.

"I have made the decision that, I am afraid, going to have to discharge you."

The case has been postponed until 18 March next year.