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 MP confessed in court through his lawyer to being “embarrassed and shamed”, as he was warned a prison sentence is a possible punishment.
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.
Prosecutor Alison Storey said CCTV showed engagement between them over a period of several minutes, but no aggression or raised voices.
“At one point Mr Fellows started to walk away but was re-engaged by Mr Amesbury”, she said.
Amesbury was heard saying “what” several times before the attack, Mr Fellows put his hands in his pockets and turned towards the taxi queue, and when he turned back Amesbury punched him to the head.
The MP followed him onto the road after he fell and started to punch him again, at least five times.
Afterwards he was heard saying “don’t you threatened me again”, and the court heard the MP also said “you won’t threaten your MP again will you”.
Amesbury had to be held back by members of the public, who intervened to stop the attack and to look into Mr Fellow’s welfare.
Mr Fellow did not suffer serious injuries, but was left with a lump on his head.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram freed Amesbury on unconditional bail until a sentencing hearing on February 24.
Amesbury’s lawyer, Richard Derby, called the assault a “momentary incident”, and added: “There is embarrassment suffered, shame suffered, the removal of the whip. He is a person who has dedicated his life to public service.”
Addressing the lead-up to the assault, he said: “Rightly or wrongly, Mr Amesbury interpreted what was being said as no longer a conversation but something to which he thought there was another motive to.”
Speaking after the hearing, Amesbury 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’m sincerely sorry to Mr Fellows and his family.”
The court was told Amesbury, who has no past convictions, was the victim of an attempted assault in 2019, his office has been fitted with security cameras and panic alarms, and in 2023 a man was convicted of stalking and harassing the MP.
It also emerged that Mr Amesbury was told in November last year that he had been the target of a death threat which is being investigated by the security services.
Adjourning the hearing, the judge said he will be looking at a penalty ranging from a community order to a prison term.
“After a single punch to the face, the victim ended up on the floor and he was further attacked on the floor.
“That seems to be an additional aggravating feature.”
Amesbury could be stripped of his Commons seat if he is sent to prison or given a suspended sentence.
He could face a recall petition, which would trigger a byelection the move is supported by ten percent of registered voters.
Amesbury was a local councillor for 11 years and has served in Parliament for the last eight years.
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.”
