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The former Conservative MP and leader of the House of Commons, Penny Mordaunt, was forced to increase security at her home and office after she was targeted by a stalker, a jury has heard.
Mordaunt sobbed in court as she described how the alleged attentions of Edward Brandt, 60, which included bombarding her with emails and calls and jumping a security barrier at her office, left her feeling vulnerable and drained.
She told Southampton crown court she believed Brandt wanted a romantic relationship with her. Mordaunt said: “The situation took its toll on me. You’re constantly having to think about whether he was going to be in your workplace or on your street.”
Robert Bryan, prosecuting, said Brandt faced an allegation of stalking involving severe harm or distress. Brandt denies the charge.
Bryan said: “His victim is Penny Mordaunt, who was until 2024 the member of parliament for Portsmouth North and the leader of the House of Commons. He was a resident on the Isle of Wight and so was not a constituent of Penny Mordaunt.
“Even though she is an MP, she is entitled to exactly the same legal protection as anyone else. MPs are vulnerable. Just look at Jo Cox or David Amess. Their baseline level of fear is higher than ordinary members of the public.”
The prosecutor said that in the autumn of 2023 Brandt called and emailed Mordaunt’s office, asking her for a cup of tea and inquiring about her security arrangements. Bryan alleged Brandt emailed Mordaunt several times over the coming months asking to meet up.
In November 2023 he also sent her a message relating to the Olympic diver Tom Daley, with whom Mordaunt had appeared on the television show Splash! in 2014.
Bryan said in December 2023 Brandt tried to leap the barriers at her constituency office, which triggered the alarms. “Security rushed after him and asked him questions about what he was doing,” said Bryan. “This marked an escalation. She [Mordaunt] was in her office and was escorted back to her car.”
Police were called and Brandt allegedly said he “just wanted to shake her hand”.
He was told he should not contact her and said he understood, the court heard, but he emailed her again in March 2024 to wish her a happy birthday – apologising for being a day late and saying her rejections had “stiffened his resolve”.
Bryan said that in May 2024 Brandt messaged again, saying: “I am just going to keep knocking on your door until you open it and let me shake your hand.”
Giving evidence, Mordaunt said: “He made me feel very vulnerable and I had concerns for my own safety.
“I was very disappointed that he hadn’t listened to the police warning. I thought his behaviour was inappropriate and it was very disappointing that it was continuing. I think he wanted a personal relationship with me.
“It was becoming clear that all normal, reasonable requests that were being made were being ignored. I had had assessments with the police and the parliament security team.
“We had to change the security in the constituency office and we had to change some of my normal routine, which was quite predictable, and I was told not to use public transport.
“I had to change security in the office, hide signage to the office and change the locks so we had personal fobs to get in. I also had CCTV installed outside the office and me and my staff had personal alarms which we had not had before.”
“References to my personal appearance just increased my view that he wanted a personal relationship with me.”
The trial continues.
