A “high risk” domestic abuser was able to write a string of threatening letters from jail to his ex – who he had stalked and brutally attacked – because opening his mail would violate his human rights, a court has heard.
Brian Edwards was jailed in September after his ex-partner shopped him to police for a catalogue of abuse which included him choking her until she fell unconscious.
When she broke up with him twisted Edwards launched a campaign of harassment – bombarding her with hundreds of texts and calls, threatening her and calling her abusive names.
Sick Edwards even stooped so low to taunt her following the tragic death of her epileptic 11-year-old son.
She finally reported him to police and he was arrested, charged and remanded in custody.
But his campaign didn’t end there.
Edwards wrote to her three times from his cell, blasting her for “having me in here on my birthday”.
Jail bosses confirmed they couldn’t open mail – a situation described as “perverse” by politicians.
Depute Fiscal Vicki Bell said: “After he was remanded she received three letters from him.
“In one the accused threatened to get anyone who she went out with.
“She reported them to police as they were upsetting her and wanted them to stop.”
Edwards, 29, a prisoner at HMP Perth, pleaded guilty on indictment to stalking his victim between July 1 and November 5 last year and to assaulting her to her injury on a date between July 1 and September 24 last year.
He was jailed for three years at Dundee Sheriff Court on Friday.
A spokesman for the Scottish Prison Service said: “We do not routinely censor mail.
“There is a right to privacy involved.”
However, Scottish Conservative justice spokeswoman Margaret Mitchell said: “This is yet another example of the perverse interpretation of human rights which seeks to put criminals first before victims.
“This was a brutal assault and stalking case and it is quite unbelievable that Brian Edwards was even allowed to even contact his victim.
“It’s this type of case which has made the UK Government look into a British Bill of Rights.”