British Member of Parliament (MP) Mike Amesbury pleaded guilty to a charge of common assault on Thursday, following an incident in which he punched a passerby during a night out.
Amesbury admitted to the altercation, which was captured on CCTV and video footage, showing him striking the man and continuing to hit him after he was knocked to the ground.
The 55-year-old MP for Runcorn and Helsby in northwest England explained that he had felt threatened during the encounter, which occurred after an evening out with friends. The incident took place on October 26, 2024, around 2 a.m., and reportedly stemmed from a conversation about the closure of a local bridge.
Prosecutor Alison Storey told Chester Magistrates' Court that Amesbury initially punched the man, causing him to fall, and then struck him at least five more times while he was on the ground. According to Storey, Amesbury also warned the victim, saying, “You won’t threaten your MP again, will you?”
Amesbury’s lawyer, Richard Derby, characterized the incident as regrettable, citing the MP’s previous experiences with threats in his role as a public servant. The Labour Party, to which Amesbury belongs, has suspended him following the assault.
Judge Tan Ikram presided over the case, indicating that sentencing would take place on February 24 and leaving “all options open.” Depending on the outcome, Amesbury could face significant consequences, including the potential loss of his parliamentary seat if a sufficient number of constituents support a petition for a new election.
Amesbury has been an MP since 2017 and won his seat in the last election with a majority of over 14,000 votes. Photo by Chris McAndrew, Wikimedia commons.