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MP Mike Amesbury has pleaded guilty to assaulting a man in a late-night street incident triggered by an argument over a bridge closure.
The Runcorn and Helsby MP admitted to attacking the 45-year-old Paul Fellows in Main Street in Frodsham, Cheshire, when he appeared at Chester Magistrates Court on Thursday morning. The incident happened on 26 October at 2.48am.
Outside the court, he apologised to the man he admitted to attacking: “I am sincerely sorry to Mr Fellows and his family.”
Amesbury, who was suspended by the Labour party when footage emerged of the incident, will not have the party whip restored, The Independent understands.
The court heard how the incident started after Mr Fellows approached Amesbury at a taxi rank to remonstrate about a bridge closure in the town. CCTV then showed the two engaging over a period of several minutes without aggression or raised voices, said prosecutor Alison Storey.
But she added: “At one point Mr Fellows started to walk away but was re-engaged by Mr Amesbury.”
The MP was then heard to say the word “what” a few times before shouting it, the court heard.
The prosecutor then said Mr Fellows put his hands in his pockets and turned towards the taxi queue, but when he turned back, Amesbury punched him in the head and knocked him to the ground.
He then followed him onto the road after he fell and started to punch him again, at least five times, she added.
The two men were both alone during their encounter and had been drinking, Ms Storey told the court.
Defending Amesbury, Richard Derby said: “Rightly or wrongly, Mr Amesbury interpreted what was being said as no longer a conversation but something to which he thought there was another motive to.”
He went on to comment on the “embarrassment” the MP faced: “the shame he has suffered, removing the whip from him, a person who has dedicated his life to the public.”
Mr Derby added: “Whatever sanction this court will impose upon him, it’s not going to have the effect as what has already happened to him.”
District Judge Tanveer Ikram adjourned the case until February 26 and said he was “leaving all options open at this stage.”
He acknowledged that the case was “within the high culpability category” and said he accepted the injury was not serious.
“The sentencing guideline suggests a sentence starting point of a high level community order or a range up to a prison sentence”, the Judge said.
He went on to describe the single punch to the face, in which the victim ended up on the floor and was further attacked, as an “additional aggravating factor.”
The MP told reporters outside that the incident was “highly regrettable” but he respected the judicial process and wouldn’t make any further comments.
A Labour Party spokesman has said: “It is right that Mike Amesbury has taken responsibility for his unacceptable actions.
“He was rightly suspended by the Labour Party following the announcement of the police investigation. We cannot comment further whilst legal proceedings are still ongoing.”
Amesbury was suspended from the Labour Party at the end of October after footage emerged which appeared to show him punching a man. He now sits in Parliament as an Independent.
This is a breaking story – more to follow
Source: independent.co.uk
