A prisoner who stalked the Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis for more than 25 years is due to stand trial accused of sending a letter to her mother to pass on to her.

Edward Vines has pleaded not guilty to breaching a restraining order imposed on him at Oxford crown court in 2009 for harassing the BBC journalist.

Vines, 49, who is representing himself, followed proceedings through a hearing loop in the dock at Nottingham crown court on Friday.

The charge alleges that Vines acted in breach of the restraining order between 7 May and 16 May after, without reasonable excuse, writing a letter to Marian Maitlis to pass on to Emily Maitlis – which he was prohibited from doing.

Vines was jailed for 45 months on 18 January 2018 for continuing to breach his restraining order by writing to Maitlis from prison and his bail hostel.

Edward Vines. Photograph: Thames Valley Police/PA

He met and briefly became friends with the Newsnight presenter when they were both students at Cambridge University.

In court, the defendant confirmed his name and entered his not guilty plea. The judge Gregory Dickinson QC remanded the defendant into custody at the end of the hearing.

Vines, of HMP Ranby in Retford, Nottinghamshire, is due to face a two-day trial on the week beginning 3 February next year.