Mike Amesbury: Suspended Runcorn and Helsby MP Labour MP admits assault after late-night street brawl

At Chester Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, Amesbury pleaded guilty to assaulting 45-year-old Paul Fellows in Main Street in Frodsham, Cheshire, in the early hours of October 26 following a dispute about a bridge closure.

CCTV of the attack was shown to the court, with the prosecution saying the Runcorn and Helsby MP punched Mr Fellows at least five times while he was on the ground.

Amesbury was suspended from the Labour Party after footage emerged which showed him punching a man. He now sits in Parliament as an Independent.

Alison Storey, prosecuting, told the court that at about 2am on October 26 last year Mr Fellows was in Frodsham town centre and went to a taxi rank.

He was alone and had been drinking, she said.

Ms Storey said: “Mr Amesbury arrived at the same taxi rank. He too was alone and he too had been drinking.”

The court heard Mr Fellows recognised Amesbury and approached him to remonstrate about a bridge closure in the town.

She said CCTV showed engagement between them over a period of several minutes, but no aggression or raised voices.

She said: “At one point Mr Fellows started to walk away but was re-engaged by Mr Amesbury.”

Amesbury was heard to say “what” a few times before shouting it, the court heard.

Ms Storey said Mr Fellows put his hands in his pockets and turned towards the taxi queue, but when he turned back Amesbury punched him to the head, knocking him to the ground.

He followed him onto the road after he fell and started to punch him again, at least five times, she said.

Ms Storey told the court he was then heard saying “you won’t threaten your MP again will you”.

Amesbury spoke to confirm his name, date of birth, address and his guilty plea at the beginning of the hearing.

District Judge Tanveer Ikram said: “This case is within the high culpability category. I accept that 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.

“I have already made mention of the fact whilst there was a single punch to the face, the victim ended up on the floor and he was further attacked again on the floor. That seems to me an additional aggravating factor.

“I hear all said on the defendant’s behalf and I will no doubt hear that again once I have read what the pre-sentence report suggests as workable options in terms of the range of sentence available to the court.”

He adjourned the case to February 24 for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.

He told Amesbury: “I am leaving all options upon at this stage.”

If Amesbury is sent to prison or given a suspended sentence he could face the prospect of losing his seat in the Commons.

A sentence of less than a year, even if it is suspended, would leave him liable to the recall process, which would trigger a by-election if 10% of registered voters in his seat sign a petition calling for it. A jail term of more than a year would mean Amesbury automatically losing his seat.

A Labour Party spokesman 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.”

Asked if he had any comment following the hearing on Thursday, Mike Amesbury told reporters: “I won’t make any further comments at this stage. I respect the judicial process. It’s highly regrettable, the incident in October. I’m sincerely sorry to Mr Fellows and his family.”

He told reporters he would speak further following the sentencing hearing in February.