Former Labour MP Mike Amesbury jailed for 10 weeks for punching man in street - sentence now suspended for two years

The Runcorn and Helsby MP, who has been sitting as an Independent since he was suspended by the party following his arrest in October last year, appeared at Chester Magistrates’ Court on Monday and was jailed.

However, today (Thursday) he appeared at Chester Crown Court for an appeal hearing.

Honorary Recorder of Chester Judge Steven Everett, sitting with two magistrates, imposed another sentence of 10 weeks’ imprisonment but suspended it for two years. It means he will not go to prison if he stays out of trouble in that time.

He also ordered Amesbury to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, undertake a 12-month alcohol monitoring requirement, go on an anger management course and carry out 20 days of rehabilitation work.

Amesbury arrived at court in a prison van and was led into the building in handcuffs by an officer. His prison sentence leaves the 55-year-old politician at risk of being ousted if his constituents back a petition calling for a by-election.

He pleaded guilty at a hearing in January to assaulting 45-year-old Paul Fellows in Main Street in Frodsham, Cheshire, in the early hours of October 26.

The court heard Amesbury, 55, had been drinking before he arrived at a taxi rank, where Mr Fellows approached him to remonstrate about a bridge closure in the town.

Footage showed Amesbury punching Mr Fellows to the head, knocking him to the ground, then following him on to the road and starting to punch him again, at least five times. He was then heard saying “You won’t threaten your MP again will you?”

Amesbury was suspended from the Labour Party after footage emerged which showed him punching Mr Fellows, and he subsequently resigned his membership.

After he pleaded guilty to the assault earlier this year, the politician was warned all sentencing options would be considered, ranging from a community order to a prison sentence.

At Monday’s sentencing hearing, deputy senior district judge Tan Ikram said: “In this case an immediate custodial sentence is, in my judgment, necessary as a punishment and a deterrent.”