Jarod Kirkman: Man jailed over threatening emails to MPs

Jarod Kirkman sent malicious communications to MPs including Yvette Cooper and Nicky Morgan

A man who sent "threatening" emails to seven MPs, including two ex-cabinet members, has been jailed for 42 weeks.

Jarod Kirkman, 51, used a fake email address to target a cross-party selection, including Nicky Morgan, Yvette Cooper and Heidi Allen.

Kirkman, of Torquay Drive, Luton, had admitted sending malicious communications at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 8 April.

Ms Morgan said the messages were death threats "related to Brexit".

South Cambridgeshire MP Heidi Allen was also targeted

Prosecutors said malicious emails were sent to Labour MPs Ms Cooper and Jenny Chapman, Conservative Ms Morgan, former Tory Nick Boles, as well as Sarah Wollaston, and Heidi Allen interim leader of the Independent Group.

Kirkman also pleaded guilty to a charge of racially or religiously aggravated intentional harassment against Labour MP David Lammy.

The messages were sent between 4 December and 21 January, police said.

The court heard his first email was sent to Ms Allen, MP for South Cambridgeshire on the 4 December 2018.

Using the address [e-mail], Kirkman contacted Mrs Allen via her constituency "contact form".

In it he wrote, "your days are numbered" before musing about whether she would die from polonium or Novichok poisoning.

Following subsequent emails sent to six other MPs, he was arrested on 29 January of this year.

Former Conservative MP Nick Boles was another victim of Kirkman

Kirkman told police he was "just being a stupid idiot over Brexit" and had "no intention of carrying out the threats".

The court heard he described himself as a "passionate pro-leaver"

Following sentencing, Ms Allen said: "MPs are doing a job like everybody else and we deserve to feel safe in our work.

"I hope this judgement will act as a powerful message to anybody who thinks that they can threaten us anonymously or otherwise."