MP Mike Amesbury has been handed a custodial sentence of 10 weeks at Chester Magistrates’ Court for assaulting a man in his constituency last year. The former Labour MP was caught on camera punching a man in Frodsham, Cheshire, in October.
Amesbury stood in silence as he listened to his sentence, and his plea to be allowed bail was refused. After hitting the man, the MP for Runcorn and Helsby was heard shouting: “You won’t threaten the MP ever again, will you?” The sentencing magistrate said “unprovoked drunken behaviour” was too serious to be dealt with by unpaid work.
Amesbury, 55, was suspended by Labour, and admitted attacking 45-year-old Paul Fellows last month. The custodial sentence will trigger a recall petition and if 10% of his constituents sign it, a by-election will be forced.
The sentence seems a lttle harsh but MP’s need to be held to a higher standard of behaviour than us mere mortals. It will be horrible inside but it is, at least. a short term. Will there be a by-election in Runcorn?
