Lady Martha Sitwell Stalker Trial: Mirsad Veliji Denies Harassment Charges Amid Court Testimony

Lady Martha Sitwell, once called the “face of Royal Ascot,” says she was harassed and frightened by a man who stalked her for months in 2022.

At Isleworth Crown Court, the jury heard that Mirsad Veliji, 43, targeted Lady Sitwell between April and August 2022. He allegedly stood outside her Kensington home, stared at her, and made strangling sounds.

Prosecutors said this was not the first time Veliji behaved aggressively toward women. In January 2022, he attacked a woman jogging in Chelsea, grabbing her neck for five seconds. In May, he grabbed another woman in Kensington, dragged her, and tried to punch her near her home.

Lady Sitwell described feeling unsafe. She said Veliji also once cycled very close to her and laughed.

Veliji, who appeared in court with a mental health assistant, denied all the stalking claims. He told the court he only met Lady Sitwell once by accident on the street. He said she seemed scared, and he was scared too, but that nothing more happened.

Under questioning, he admitted to his previous two assaults on other women and pleaded guilty to them. However, he insists Lady Sitwell is lying and that she made up the stalking claims.

The court also heard from Charlie Hamilton James, Lady Sitwell’s former partner. He said he was so concerned for her safety that he left Bristol and stayed with her in London for two weeks. He said Lady Sitwell is not someone who scares easily and would not lie about being stalked.

The prosecution said Lady Sitwell became more fearful over time as Veliji’s behavior got worse. She told Mr. Hamilton James about it, and he came to protect her.

Veliji faces two stalking charges:

1. Causing fear of violence

2. Causing alarm or distress

The trial is still ongoing.