Man denies stalking Taunton Deane MP Rebecca Pow

A 76-year-old man has appeared in court accused of stalking his MP and sending her a letter with white powder on it.

Exeter Crown Court heard Maurice Kirk contacted Taunton Deane MP Rebecca Pow asking for help in suing the police in a long-running legal battle.

The contact triggered a campaign of harassment, the Crown alleges that also included visiting her house and posting a picture of a shotgun online.

Mr Kirk of Westgate Street, Taunton, denies stalking.

Robin Shellard, prosecuting, told jurors the stalking started in May 2019 while Mr Kirk was in prison for an unconnected offence of breaching a harassment order against a doctor.

Mr Kirk contacted his Conservative MP for help suing police over a prosecution in which he was cleared of fixing a machine-gun on a vintage plane after claiming it was a harmless piece of metal.

He sent a letter to her that she opened and read when she realised her hands were covered with white powder. Ms Pow washed her hands, put on rubber gloves and then contacted the police.

The powder turned out to be harmless, the court heard, and Mr Kirk said the white powder was dried toothpaste that he had used to seal the envelope with.

Mr Shellard said further incidents happened in 2020 that caused Ms Pow distress when Mr Kirk left prison.

It is alleged Mr Kirk, who is representing himself at trial, became aggressive with Ms Pow's office manager during an unannounced visit and on 27 May, 2020, during the national lockdown, turned up at the MP's home.

Ms Pow found another letter in which Mr Kirk said he had tried plans A, B, C and D and was moving on to plan E, although he did not explain what that plan might be.

The prosecutor said Mr Kirk had called the police himself informing them he was going to Ms Pow's house and there was "likely to be a breach of the peace".

"He was advised not to go and told he could be arrested if he did so," Mr Shellard told the court.

Mr Kirk later posted a video clip of his visit to the house on his website with a message accusing the MP of being responsible for his previous imprisonment.

He also posted a photo of himself carrying a shotgun with two pictures of Ms Pow posted directly beneath.

His campaign caused her to become scared of using public transport and caused her to increase her personal security by carrying an alarm, jurors heard.

Mr Kirk said his contact was normal and was no more than a constituent seeking help from an MP.

The trial continues.