A man hurled abuse and called a West Yorkshire MP a "c***" after he laughed at his wife.
MP for Elmet and Rothwell Alec Shelbrooke was on a leaflet drop near Elmroyd in Rothwell on November 11 last year when he spoke to the wife of John Paul Geldard, 49.
The woman discussed her views about what was in the leaflet and was "laughed at" by Mr Shelbrooke.
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Leeds Magistrates' Court heard on Tuesday that the woman returned to her home in Elmroyd and told Geldard what had happened. Geldard saw red, got into his car and found Mr Shelbrooke in Swithens Drive.
The court heard that Geldard stopped his car and approached the MP - who was elected in 2010 - in an "aggressive manner" and shouted at him. It was said Geldard called Mr Shelbrooke a "f****** c***" and said: "If you ever laugh at my wife I'll do you."
Geldard also called the MP a "f*****" and again said: "If you ever come around here again I'll do you in."
He was later arrested and refused to be interviewed - but said the abuse and the words used were not due to his own political beliefs. Geldard told police he did not know the man he was abusing was his MP, who he had previously emailed for help with issues with gas. He pleaded guilty at the first opportunity to using threatening behaviour with intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress.
In a statement, Mr Shelbrooke acknowledged he had laughed at the woman.
Mitigating, Mr Pollard, said that Geldard did not accept that he made a homophobic remark, and said he had said in anger, "You fat little c***."
He said: "He makes it clear this is nothing to do with politics and says he was in the house and his wife had left and there was a leaflet that said, 'Build Back Better.' She disagreed with the contents of it and had an argument with the MP and says he laughed at her. She returned to the house and his wife was in tears and felt she had been humiliated by a number of people and he got in his car and went to him and said, 'Why are you taking the p*** out of my wife?' He said it was in his opinion, there was quite a condescending attitude to him and he lost his temper.
"He didn't realise that this was a man who had helped him with problems some time before. He lost his temper but it wasn't targeted because of anything other than his wife was upset and he was sticking up for his wife."
Mr Pollard said the dad-of-three runs his own computer business and is the main carer for his 19-year-old son who has autism and is not independent. The court heard he had not been in trouble since 2003 and had "turned his life around" and is a family man.
Geldard was ordered to pay £635 - made up of a £500 fine, a £50 surcharge and £85 prosecution costs. He must pay the costs within 14 days.
He was told by magistrates that had the attack against Mr Shelbrooke been targeted, the sentence would have been very different. They said: "He was somebody who was engaged in a leaflet drop and you didn't realise that it was your sitting MP. It is clear to me that he says in his own statement that in discussion with your wife he did at one point at what she expressed, some words he didn't agree with and he responded in that way and in light of that you then lost your temper."
The magistrate said the fine had been increased by £100 in light of the homophobic remark being made, although he accepted that "even if it was said it was not with a homophobic intent" and "at that point in the incident you [Geldard] was clearly not thinking straight and the words were coming out of your mouth left, right and centre without care."
Following the sentencing, a spokesman for Mr Shelbrooke said he will not be deterred from serving his constituents in light of the offence. He said: "Alec was the victim of an assault whilst delivering his MPs newsletter in Rothwell last year and the offender has today pleaded guilty in court. Whilst we have updated our security arrangements, Alec will not be deterred from serving his constituents at his weekly surgeries or from updating residents via his regular newsletters."
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