Ex-Councillor Jailed: Stalking Penny Mordaunt | UK News

(Southampton, January 16, 2026) – A former councillor has been jailed for 20 weeks after being found guilty of stalking ex-cabinet minister Dame Penny Mordaunt.

Edward Brandt,61,was sentenced after a trial at Southampton Crown Court found him guilty of stalking,though he was acquitted of the more serious charge of stalking involving serious alarm or distress.

• Edward Brandt was jailed for 20 weeks for stalking Dame Penny Mordaunt.
• Brandt sent at least 17 emails and three phone messages to Mordaunt, and repeatedly visited her constituency office.
• He failed to comply with a conditional caution requiring him to complete a victim awareness course and cease contact.

edward Brandt,a former councillor,was found guilty in November of stalking Dame Penny Mordaunt,according to reports from Sky News. The court heard that Mordaunt believed Brandt posed a “real threat” and feared “sexual violence” due to his behavior.

Did you know? – Stalking is a pattern of repeated and unwanted attention, harassment, contact, or any other course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear or considerable emotional distress.

Stalking Campaign

Between September 11, 2023, and May 12, 2024, Brandt sent at least 17 emails and three phone messages to Dame Penny Mordaunt, the court was told. He also repeatedly appeared at her constituency office in Portsmouth outside of regular hours, Sky News reported.

In April 2024, Brandt received a conditional caution requiring him to complete a victim awareness course and refrain from contacting Mordaunt. However, he violated the terms of this caution by leaving two voicemail messages for her on May 6 and May 10. In one message, he stated, “I am going to go on gently knocking at your door in order to shake your hand, I am not giving up.”

Pro tip – If you are being stalked, document everything. Keep copies of emails, texts, and voicemails, and record dates and times of any unwanted contact or appearances.

Brandt, who previously worked as a professional sailor and lived on the Isle of Wight at the time of the offenses, was also subject to an interim stalking protection order at Isle of Wight Magistrates’ Court on July 16, 2024.

Why it Matters

This case highlights the seriousness of stalking and the distress it causes to victims. The conviction underscores the legal consequences for individuals who engage in unwanted and persistent behavior that causes fear or alarm. The fact that Brandt continued his attempts to contact Mordaunt even after receiving a conditional caution demonstrates the challenges in protecting individuals from steadfast stalkers.

Reader question – What more can be done to support victims of stalking and hold perpetrators accountable for their actions? Share your thoughts.

Time.news based this report in part on reporting by Sky News and added independent analysis and context.