A woman subjected to a campaign of intimidation by a violent ex-partner from behind bars has slammed the Scottish Prison Service for not stopping the harassment.
“High risk” domestic abuser Brian Edwards 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.
Edwards was jailed in September after an 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 Edwards launched a campaign of harassment bombarding her with hundreds of texts and calls, threatening her and calling her abusive names.
Edwards even stooped so low as to taunt his victim over the death of her epileptic son, who died in 2014.
She finally reported him to police and he was arrested, charged and remanded in custody. But his campaign did not end there.
Edwards wrote to her three times from his cell, blasting her for “having me in here on my birthday”.
He has now been jailed for three years but speaking yesterday, his victim, who The Courier has chosen not to name, said she is still “looking over her shoulder”.
“It was not that long ago that I got the last letter, about two months ago,” she said.
“Will he do the full three years or will he be out in 18 months?
“It’s like walking on eggshells… I’m always looking over my shoulder.”
She added she thought more should have been done to stop his harassment from behind bars and said she doubts his sentence will prevent further incidents.
“Considering he has been in prison before and that didn’t stop it,” she said.
Jail bosses confirmed they couldn’t open mail a situation described as “perverse” by politicians.
Depute fiscal Vicki Bell said: “She (his ex-partner) ended their relationship having had enough of his controlling, jealous and violent behaviour.
“She received a number of texts and calls from him which caused her to change her mobile number.
“He managed to contact her and said he wanted to get back together but she said she wasn’t prepared to be his punchbag any longer.”