Suspended Labour MP Mike Amesbury has been sentenced to 10 weeks in jail after pleading guilty to assaulting 45-year-old Paul Fellows. The incident occurred in the early hours of October 26 in Frodsham, Cheshire, within Amesbury's constituency. Video footage of the confrontation showed Amesbury punching Fellows to the ground, leading to his prosecution and subsequent sentencing.
At the time of the incident, Amesbury was representing Runcorn and Helsby as an independent MP, having been removed from the Labour Party due to his actions. In a statement, a Labour Party spokesperson confirmed the party's stance:
"The Labour Party took swift action following Mike Amesbury's completely unacceptable actions and he is no longer a Labour MP or a member of the Labour Party."
The court proceedings revealed that Amesbury's actions stemmed from a "anger and loss of emotional control," as noted by Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram. While delivering the sentence, Ikram emphasized the gravity of Amesbury's conduct:
"I consider this more culpable."
"You continued to attack when he was on the ground and it may have continued further had a bystander not intervened."
The magistrate pointed out that Amesbury's behavior fell short of the standards expected from someone who has served in public office:
"You have spent your life in public service and served in high office."
"You continued to rant, your position ought to be as a role model to others."
In addition to his jail term, Amesbury was ordered to pay £200 in compensation to Fellows, £85 in costs, and a surcharge of £154. Despite being described as "unlikely to re-offend," the severity of his actions warranted immediate incarceration. He was taken into custody after his application for bail pending an appeal was denied.
The incident has not only affected Amesbury's political career but also opened the door for potential changes in representation for his constituency. Reform UK party chairman Zia Yusuf has called for Amesbury to step down so that a by-election can be held. Voters in Amesbury's constituency have the option to remove him from his seat through a recall petition if more than 10% of them sign it. Additionally, the House of Commons could trigger a recall by suspending him for 10 sitting days or more.
The case underscores the significant implications of personal conduct for public officials, as emphasized by Ikram's warning:
"You were only stopped from going further by members of the public."
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