Mike Amesbury has pleaded guilty to assaulting a constituent after he was captured on video footage punching a man in his constituency.
The Labour MP for Runcorn and Helsby was caught on CCTV ‘sucker-punching’ father Paul Fellows, 45, in the early hours of October 26 in Frodsham, Cheshire.
The pair were in a row in a taxi queue over Labour’s plans to means test the winter fuel payment and the closure of the Sutton Weaver swing bridge moments before the fracas.
Video footage showed how Amesbury was talking animatedly with Mr Fellows before suddenly launching a violent left hook at his head.
He was then seen to strike Mr Fellows at least five times as he lay on the ground. Moments later, the 55-year-old told him: ‘You won’t threaten your MP again, will you?’
He was later suspended from the Labour Party following the incident and now sits as an Independent MP.
Speaking outside Chester Magistrates Court, where he admitted assault by beating, he said: ‘It’s highly regrettable, the incident in October. I’m sincerely sorry to Mr Fellows and his family.’
Saying he ‘respected the judicial process’, Amesbury refused to make any further comment – but would speak further when he is sentenced in February.
Mike Amesbury leaving Chester Magistrates Court – where he admitted assault by beating
The CCTV footage shows how Amesbury, 55, appeared to be talking in an animated fashion with the man before suddenly knocking him down on the high street of the market town of Frodsham, Cheshire at 2.15am on Saturday morning
Paul Fellows (pictured leaving his home on October 29 carrying an overnight bag) said he had spoken to police after being punched to the ground by Labour MP Mike Amesbury
Suspended MP Mike Amesbury arriving at Chester Magistrates Court – where he admitted assault by beating
During the short hearing, Amesbury spoke to confirm his name, date of birth, address and his guilty plea.
Alison Storey, prosecuting, told the court at about 2am on October 26 last year victim Paul 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.’
The court heard Mr Fellows recognised Amesbury and approached him to remonstrate about a bridge closure in the town.
She said CCTV showed engagement between them over a period of several minutes, but no aggression or raised voices.
She said: ‘At one point Mr Fellows started to walk away but was re-engaged by Mr Amesbury.’
Amesbury was heard to say ‘what’ a few times before shouting it, the court heard.
Ms Storey said Mr Fellows put his hands in his pockets and turned towards the taxi queue, but when he turned back Amesbury punched him to the head, knocking him to the ground.
Mr Amesbury was caught on CCTV punching Mr Fellows after a heated exchange
Mike Amesbury leaving Chester Magistrates after admitting ‘sucker-punching’ a constituent
He followed him onto the road after he fell and started to punch him again, at least five times, she said.
Ms Storey told the court Amesbury was heard saying ‘you won’t threaten your MP again will you’ after punching Mr Fellows five times on the floor.
The judge heard that while Amesbury had initially said he acted in self-defence, he no longer maintains this.
Defending him, Mr Derby said his client has experienced ‘shame and embarrassment’ as a result of the incident.
He added the MP has panic alarms installed in his house and office due to threats made against him.
Of the incident itself, Mr Derby said: ‘Rightly or wrongly Mr Amesbury took as some form of threat to himself. There was obviously something said which he took umbrage to. The incident is regrettable and it is unfortunate.’
He added: ‘Whatever sanction this court will impose upon him, it’s not going to have the effect as what has already happened to him.
‘The embarrassment he has suffered, the shame he has suffered, removing the whip from him, a person who has dedicated his life to the public.’
District Judge Tanveer Ikram said: ‘This case is within the high culpability category. I accept that the injury was not serious, the sentencing guideline suggests a sentence starting point of a high level community order or a range up to a prison sentence.
‘I have already made mention of the fact whilst there was a single punch to the face, the victim ended up on the floor and he was further attacked again on the floor. That seems to me an additional aggravating factor.
‘I hear all said on the defendant’s behalf and I will no doubt hear that again once I have read what the pre-sentence report suggests as workable options in terms of the range of sentence available to the court.’
He adjourned the case to February 24 for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.
He told Amesbury: ‘I am leaving all options upon at this stage.’
Mike Amesbury has pleaded guilty to assaulting a constituent after he was captured on video footage punching a man in his constituency
The aftermath of the incident saw members of the public rush to Mr Fellows’ aid
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is pictured here with Amesbury on the campaign trail in Weaver Vale, Cheshire in 2019
The former Labour MP called the incident ‘highly regrettable’ as he apologised to Mr Fellows
If Amesbury is sent to prison or given a suspended sentence he could face the prospect of losing his seat in the Commons.
A sentence of less than a year, even if it is suspended, would leave him liable to the recall process, which would trigger a by-election if 10% of registered voters in his seat sign a petition calling for it.
A jail term of more than a year would mean Amesbury automatically losing his seat.
Speaking outside court, the MP said: ‘I won’t make any further comments at this stage.
‘I respect the judicial process.
‘It’s highly regrettable, the incident in October.
‘I am sincerely sorry to Mr Fellows and his family.’
Following today’s guilty plea, a Labour Party spokesman said: ‘It is right that Mike Amesbury has taken responsibility for his unacceptable actions.
‘He was rightly suspended by the Labour Party following the announcement of the police investigation. We cannot comment further whilst legal proceedings are still ongoing.’
After being charged, Amesbury said: ‘I have today been summonsed to court to face a charge of common assault following an incident in Frodsham last month, which was deeply regrettable.
‘I am continuing to cooperate with police and given this is an ongoing case I cannot comment further.’
He previously issued a statement saying he had ‘felt threatened’ after a night out with friends and contacted Cheshire Police himself to report the incident.
Amesbury has been a member of the Labour party since the age of 17 and he became an MP in 2017.
The MP was shadow minister for work, pensions and employment from July 2018 until April 2020 when he became shadow minister for housing, communities and local Government.
He had the same Shadow title after September 2021 in the new department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities until June 2022 when he stood down saying he couldn’t give role ‘the energy it demands’ and wanted to do more to help his constituents.
Amesbury later came back as Shadow minister for Levelling Up, Housing, Communities and Local Government until May 2024.
