MP Mike Amesbury's jail term suspended on appeal

MP Mike Amesbury, who admitted repeatedly punching a constituent successful the street, has had his 10-week situation condemnation suspended pursuing an appeal.

The Runcorn and Helsby MP assaulted Paul Fellows, 45, pursuing a enactment successful Frodsham, Cheshire, past twelvemonth and was jailed by magistrates connected Monday.

Amesbury, who had the Labour whip removed successful October, launched an entreaty and a justice said that portion the magnitude of the condemnation had been "spot on", it should beryllium suspended for 2 years.

Judge Steven Everett, sitting with 2 magistrates astatine Chester Crown Court, besides ordered Amesbury to transportation retired 200 hours of unpaid work.

Amesbury indispensable besides undertake an intoxicant monitoring programme, spell connected an choler absorption course, and transportation retired 20 days of rehabilitation work.

His condemnation inactive leaves the 55-year-old MP, who present sits arsenic an independent, astatine hazard of being ousted.

If astatine slightest 10% of his constituents backmost a callback petition, a by-election volition instrumentality place.

Leaving court, Amesbury refused to reply questions from the waiting media astir whether helium would resign arsenic an MP.

But helium said: "I'd similar to reiterate that I sincerely apologise erstwhile again to Mr Fellows and his family.

"I'm present going to spell and spot my family, and spell home, and I'll springiness a connection astatine a aboriginal stage."

Video footage of the assault, which happened adjacent a taxi fertile successful the aboriginal hours of 26 October, which was played successful court.

It showed Amesbury punching Mr Fellows successful the head, knocking him to the ground.

The person past deed him astatine slightest 5 much times and swore astatine him.

Amesbury was past heard saying: "You won't endanger your MP again, volition you?"

Judge Everett told Amesbury the facts showed him "in a genuinely unfavourable light" and, arsenic an MP, helium "should beryllium showing an example".

While acknowledging it would beryllium incorrect to condemnation him otherwise due to the fact that helium was an MP, the justice added: "That doesn't mean we can't instrumentality into relationship that your behaviour arsenic an MP was simply disgraceful."

He said helium besides could not disregard Amesbury's "heavy drinking and fighting".

The erstwhile Labour person had arrived astatine tribunal successful a situation van and wore handcuffs arsenic helium was led into the building.

The tribunal heard that, successful a prepared connection fixed successful a constabulary interview, Amesbury claimed helium had been approached by a antheral "shouting and screaming" astir section and nationalist matters.

The MP said that, due to the fact that helium was terrified and the different man's "arms were swinging", helium felt helium had nary enactment but to "defend" himself.

But the justice told him the CCTV pictures revealed a precise antithetic story.

"In reality, you told the constabulary a battalion of lies. Nothing more, thing less," helium said.

Judge Everett questioned wherefore a complaint of affray - which tin transportation a longer condemnation - had not been brought by the prosecution.

Daniel Travers, defending Amesbury, told the court: "He's present had 3 nights successful situation which is an acquisition helium volition ne'er forget, certainly."

He said the "public shaming" and "embarrassment" had had a immense interaction connected his client.

"This is simply a antheral who volition surely rehabilitate," said Mr Travers. "He volition larn a precise achy lesson."

The confirmation of Amesbury's situation sentence, adjacent though it has present been suspended, could inactive effect successful him being ousted from the Commons.

The long-time Labour person has been sitting arsenic an autarkic MP for the past 4 months, pursuing his suspension by enactment bosses.

Under parliamentary rules, if an MP receives a custodial condemnation a "recall petition" is triggered.

After proceeding from Chester Crown Court, the Speaker of the House of Commons volition interaction the returning serviceman for Amesbury's Runcorn and Helsby constituency.

Constituents volition past person six weeks to inquire for their MP's removal by registering astatine 10 nominated places.

If astatine slightest 10% of them ballot to region Amesbury, a by-election volition beryllium called.

It would beryllium the archetypal by-election since Labour came to powerfulness pursuing the July 2024 wide election.

Having archetypal been elected arsenic a Labour MP successful the Cheshire constituency of Weaver Vale successful 2017, Amesbury comfortably won the Runcorn and Helsby seat which was created pursuing bound changes.

He secured 53% of the ballot and enjoyed a bulk of much than 14,000.

Reform UK bushed the Conservatives (16%) into 2nd place.