Former councillor guilty of stalking Dame Penny Mordaunt
Edward Brandt been issued with a caution in April that year, which required him not to contact the former Tory leadership contender.
Former councillor Edward Brandt has been found guilty of stalking Dame Penny Mordaunt.
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The 61-year-old was convicted by a jury of stalking the former Cabinet minister, sending a series of emails, phone messages as well as out-of-hours visits to her constituency office.
At an earlier hearing, Southampton Crown Court was told the actions of Brandt left Dame Penny fearing “sexual violence” because of his “creepy” behaviour.
Between September 2023 and May 2024, the former councillor sent at least 17 emails, three phone messages and made out-of-hours visits to her office in Portsmouth.
In a voicemail message left in May 2024, he told Dame Penny he was going to be "gently knocking on your door" to shake her hand, and said "I am giving up".
The divorced father of two had been issued with a caution in April that year, which required him not to contact the former Tory leadership contender.
Jurors were told previously that the ordeal began after Brandt asking asked to meet Dame Penny for a cup of tea for half an hour. However, following her office managers call back, Brandt began asking about security arrangements for Dame Penny, according to reports.
Brandt then proceeded to send a series of emails over the coming months requesting to meet Dame Penny, including messages on Christmas, New Year and her birthday, according to the prosecution.
As consequence, the former MP was forced to change the locks, have CCTV installed and issue personal alarms to her staff about the situation.
Brandt said he just “wanted to meet her in the pub on a Friday afternoon for her much-famed pint” and the opportunity to shake her hand.
Brandt, who now lives in Lymington, Hampshire, told police his actions were “harmless” and that his interest in Dame Penny was “purely political”.
After a five-day trial, the jjury returned the guilty verdict by a majority of 10 to two.
The jury found Brandt not guilty of a second count of stalking involving serious alarm or distress, a more serious offence.
Brandt, who sobbed into his hands upon hearing the convicwill be sentenced in January 2026.