Dame Penny Mordaunt on Monday sobbed in court as she alleged that an infatuated stalker bombarded her with emails and calls and even jumped the security barrier at her office.
The former defence secretary, 52, told a jury that Edward Brandt, 60, left her ‘feeling very vulnerable’ and tried to form a ‘personal relationship’ with her during an alleged campaign of stalking.
Brandt – a Conservative Party member – went on trial at Southampton Crown Court, accused of stalking the former Tory MP.
He is accused of ignoring a police warning and continuing to stalk Ms Mordaunt, claiming he wanted to have a ‘much-famed pint’ with her.
Prosecutors said the defendant also claimed he wanted to shake her ‘precious and gold-plated hand’ to praise her for her work.
Brandt jumped the barrier at her office and Mordaunt had to bolster her security, it was also heard.
Giving evidence today, Mordaunt was reduced to tears as she explained how ‘drained’ she felt by the whole situation.
She described how the ordeal took a toll on her entire team and her foster child, whom she had to tell not to open the front door out of fear Brandt would turn up at her address.
Mordaunt was MP for Portsmouth North between 2010 and 2024 and served as leader of the House of Commons in the final two years. She lost her seat to Amanda Martin in 2024.
Edward Brandt – a Conservative Party member – went on trial on Monday at Southampton Crown Court, accused of stalking former Tory MP Penny Mordaunt
The former Defence Secretary, 52, told a jury that Edward Brandt, 60, left her ‘feeling very vulnerable’
Robert Bryan, prosecuting, said: ‘Mr Brandt faces an allegation of stalking involving severe harm or distress.
‘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 story starts in Autumn of 2023 when Mr Brandt makes an initial call and sends a follow-up email to her office phone. He asks to meet her and for half an hour of her time for a cuppa.
‘The following day Penny Mordaunt’s office manager returns her call. Initially he was polite but he began to ask her about her security arrangements within the constituency. She does not answer the questions and says email in. She believes they will not hear from him again.
‘On September 14 he emails again and asks her for a chat.’
Mr Bryan went on to explain that Brandt emailed Mordaunt several times over the coming months asking to meet up. He sent her messages for Christmas, New Year and her birthday on March 4.
In November 2023 he sent her a message relating to diver Tom Daley – with whom Mordaunt had appeared on television show Splash!
Mr Bryan continued: ‘On December 16 he went to her constituency office – which is caught on CCTV – but what he did next was not.
‘He went to the end of the building where the turnstiles were and tried to jump the barriers – which triggered the alarms.
‘Security rushed after him and asked him questions about what he was doing. This marked an escalation. She was in her office and was escorted back to her car.’
Brandt admitted to the police that he had been sending messages but said he ‘just wanted to shake her hand’.
He was told he should not contact her and he said he fully understood yet he emailed her again on March 5 to wish her a happy birthday – apologising for being a day late and saying he just want to ‘shake her hand’ and that her rejections had ‘stiffened his resolve’.
He was later bailed with conditions not to contact Mordaunt. He also had to attend a victim awareness course and pay £75.
Mr Bryan said: ‘On May 6 he called her office again leaving a voicemail.
‘He said there was a photograph on her LinkedIn of her with one of his neighbours: “There was a pretty blonde in the photograph just like you”.
‘On May 10 he messaged again saying “I am just going to keep knocking on your door until you open it and let me shake your hand”.’
He was said to have added: ‘I liked your recent comment about being the most left-wing member of the Labour Party. I myself am about the most left-wing member of the Conservative Party.’
The prosecutor continued: ‘Seventeen days after admitting his guilt he told her he was not giving up.
‘He was arrested and interviewed on May 11. He showed no remorse and her security had to be bolstered as she will explain.’
Brandt is accused of ignoring a police warning and continuing to stalk Ms Mordaunt, claiming he wanted to have a ‘much-famed pint’ with her
Prosecutors said the defendant also claimed he wanted to shake her ‘precious and gold plated hand’ to praise her for her work
It was heard that Brandt said he ‘wanted to meet her in the pub on a Friday afternoon for her much-famed pint’ and once messaged her: ‘I just want the chance to meet you and shake your precious and gold-plated hand.’
Giving evidence, Mordaunt said: ‘He made me feel very vulnerable and I had concerns for my own safety.
‘When he mentioned Tom Daley I really didn’t know what he was referring to. I had known Tom as I had appeared on a television programme with him.
‘I hoped after January that that would be an end to the matter.
‘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.
‘We sent him a formal email to cease contact and anything further would be reported to the police.
‘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.’
She said when he hopped her barrier ‘I was escorted to the car by security where I was concerned for my own safety’.
Mordaunt explained that she had fostered a Ukrainian girl as she has no children of her own.
She said: ‘She is a vulnerable person. I had to explain to her that this was happening and this was incredibly concerning as I had to explain what she should do if he came to the door.
‘The references to my personal appearance just increased my view that he wanted a personal relationship with me.
‘On the weekends I would try and spend times away from home.
‘The whole situation took its toll on me. When you’re constantly having to think about whether he was going to be in your workplace or on your street. It is a responsibility for me with my staff.
‘It just became so much more work for them. It was just incredibly draining.’
The trial continues.