MP Mike Amesbury admits assaulting a man in late-night street altercation
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Suspended Labour MP Mike Amesbury has pleaded guilty to assault after punching a constituent in the face repeatedly after a street row. The Runcorn and Helsby MP struck Paul Fellows, 45, in the face in Main Street, Frodsham, in Cheshire, and then hit the victim a further five times as he lay on the ground.
At Chester magistrates court on Thursday, Amesbury appeared in the dock to confirm his name, age, and address in Frodsham before pleading guilty to assault by beating. The attack was reported to police officers at 2.48am on October 26 last year, and footage of the incident then emerged online.
Amesbury was suspended from the Labour Party when the footage went viral, and he has sat in Parliament as an Independent since then. The court heard both Amesbury, 55, and Mr Fellows had been drinking that night, and the victim initially approached the MP to talk about a bridge closure in the town.
After a discussion that appeared to last several minutes, Amesbury was seen to punch Mr Fellows who fell to the ground. Amesbury was heard saying “what” several times before the attack, and afterwards he was heard saying “don’t you threatened me again”.
