UK

MP admits punching man – and will remain suspended by Labour

Suspended Labour MP Mike Amesbury has pleaded guilty to assault by beating after punching a man in Cheshire.

The Runcorn and Helsby MP appeared at Chester Magistrates’ Court on Thursday morning accused of attacking 45-year-old Paul Fellows in Main Street, Frodsham, Cheshire, in October.

CCTV footage showed Amesbury, who has been an MP since 2017, punching Mr Fellows on the ground.

Other previously released videos from another angle show Amesbury punching the man repeatedly after knocking him to the floor as members of the public intervened.

It was reported to police at 2.48pm on Saturday 26 October.

The 55-year-old politician is currently an independent MP after he was suspended by Labour at the end of October when the CCTV footage emerged.

He was voluntarily interviewed under caution by Cheshire Police and was “released pending further enquiries”.

Cheshire Police then handed a file on his case to the Crown Prosecution Service’s special crime division in London, rather than the local department, because of his position as an MP.

He was charged with common assault by police on 7 November.

At the time, Amesbury said what happened was “deeply regrettable” and he was co-operating with police.

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