Ex-Labour MP Mike Amesbury says sorry as he could be jailed for street punch
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Former Labour MP Mike Amesbury has told his assault victim he is “sincerely sorry” as he potentially faces jail for punching the man to the floor following a dispute about a bridge closure. Amesbury pleaded guilty to assaulting 45-year-old Paul Fellows in Main Street in Frodsham, Cheshire in the early hours of October 26.
Chester Magistrates’ Court was shown CCTV of the attack, with the prosecution saying the Runcorn and Helsby MP punched Mr Fellows at least five times while he was on the ground. Speaking after the hearing, Amesbury told reporters: ““I respect the judicial process. It’s highly regrettable, the incident in October.
“I’m sincerely sorry to Mr Fellows and his family.”. District Judge Tan Ikram told Amesbury he was “leaving all options open at this stage” ahead of a sentencing hearing on February 24. Amesbury could be heard telling Mr Fellows “you won’t threaten your MP again” after punching him in the head with enough force to knock him to the ground.
The court heard Amesbury had initially told police he had “acted in self-defence”. Amesbury was suspended from the Labour Party after footage emerged which showed him punching Mr Fellows, and he subsequently resigned his membership. 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.”.
