LONDON: Former Labour MP Mike Amesbury received a 10-week jail sentence after pleading guilty to assaulting a man in Cheshire.
The 55-year-old politician clashed with constituent Paul Fellows during a night out in Frodsham last October.
The incident occurred around 2 a.m. at a taxi rank, where CCTV captured Amesbury attacking Fellows.
Prosecutor Alison Storey described the footage, stating Amesbury was seen speaking to Fellows before suddenly shouting “what?” multiple times.
He then punched Fellows in the face and followed up with five more strikes while issuing a warning.
Aggressive Attack
Amesbury allegedly said, “You won’t threaten your f*cking MP again, will you?” before walking away from the scene.
Mr. Fellows sustained a lump on his head and a grazed elbow after the attack.
It remains unclear whether the injuries were due to falling or direct punches.
The prosecutor emphasized that Fellows showed no aggression and never retaliated.
Despite the attack, Amesbury denied acting aggressively or making threats beforehand.
Legal Defense
Amesbury’s lawyer called the assault “extremely regrettable” but argued that an unrecorded conversation provoked the MP.
The court was told that CCTV showed the assault but lacked audio of the moments leading up to it.
Despite this, the judge ruled that Amesbury’s actions were unjustified and sentenced him accordingly.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram announced the 10-week jail term at Chester Magistrates’ Court.
Amesbury had already admitted to the assault in January before receiving his sentence.
Political Fallout
Following media reports on the incident, Amesbury was suspended from the Labour Party.
He now serves as an independent MP in Parliament after losing Labour’s support.
His suspension marked a significant downfall for the politician, first elected in 2017.
The incident sparked discussions on MPs’ conduct and accountability in public office.
Amesbury’s future political career remains uncertain after the violent altercation.
