Claudia Webbe: MP convicted of harassment gets suspended sentence

Claudia Webbe was found guilty of harassing Michelle Merritt, a long-term friend of her partner Lester Thomas

An MP who made threatening phone calls to a woman because she was jealous of her relationship with her partner has been given a suspended sentence.

Claudia Webbe, a former Labour MP for Leicester East who is now independent, was convicted of one charge of harassment last month.

Westminster Magistrates' Court heard she made several calls over two years and threatened the woman with acid.

Webbe was handed a 10-week sentence, suspended for two years, on Thursday.

The 56-year-old made 16 calls to Michelle Merritt, a long-term friend of Webbe's partner Lester Thomas, between September 2018 and April last year in a campaign of harassment borne out of jealousy, the court heard.

The court was told on one occasion she made an "angry" call, used a derogatory term and added: "You should be acid."

'Become a hermit'

It also heard how Webbe threatened to send naked images of Ms Merritt to her family and a recording of a call in which she was heard shouting "get out of my relationship".

Addressing the court, Ms Merritt said she had been left "very scared" by the harassment, struggling to work and socialise.

"I've almost become a hermit," the 59-year-old - who the court heard had never met Webbe - added.

"No woman should be threatened and harassed as Ms Webbe has done to me over the years, let alone by a politician."

Labour's national campaign co-ordinator Shabana Mahmood confirmed Webbe had been expelled from the party and called for her to resign as an MP.

She said Labour would push for a recall petition to force a by-election if Webbe did not quit the Commons.

"She should do the right thing by the people of Leicester East," she added.

Webbe previously told the court she was still with her partner Lester Thomas

Chief magistrate Paul Goldspring, sentencing, said: "I have no doubt that, when not overtaken by jealousy and rage, you are a hard-working, upstanding Member of Parliament and of society.

"[But] the level of harassment and the threats you made cannot be excused."

He added he found it "odd and concerning" that the probation service report said Webbe felt like a victim herself.

The district judge said he counted four occasions when Webbe referred to herself as "the victim" during her testimony from the witness box.

Mr Goldspring told the court Webbe "showed little remorse or contrition" and would have been jailed immediately were it not for her previous good character.

The sentence means Webbe will face a recall petition, which could trigger a by-election if at least 10% of her constituents support it.

Analysis

By Tim Parker, BBC Radio Leicester political reporter

Mr Goldspring knows only too well what his decision today means for the Leicester East constituency.

It sets in train the possibility of a by-election, but it's a slow train with an uncertain timetable that might never reach the destination some are hoping for.

If Claudia Webbe fails to overturn her sentence, she faces a recall petition - where her constituents will be asked if they want to replace her.

But with the backlog of cases in courts at the moment, that appeal is likely to take several weeks.

If a recall petition is triggered, that must last six weeks. Factor in the time taken to organise that too - and the potential impact of the holiday period - and it makes a by-election date even more difficult to predict.

There were 78,433 people able to vote in Leicester East in 2019 - 10% of them need to feel strongly enough to sign a recall petition, for a by-election to be triggered.

'I am innocent'

However, the process is pending any appeal by Webbe against her conviction, an avenue she said she would pursue.

In a statement, Webbe said: "I am very disappointed by the decision of the magistrate and want to strongly reiterate that I am innocent.

"I am lodging an appeal and despite today's sentence, I fully expect the appeal to be granted and that, ultimately, it will be successful."

Her defence lawyer, Paul Hynes QC, said Webbe had also received threats of violence on social media, as well as racist comments.

He said after her conviction, police had received a called from a man threatening a female MP they believed was Claudia Webbe.

"[She has been] subjected to extraordinary vilification," he added.

Mr Hynes previously read out character references from former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, ex-shadow chancellor John McDonnell and former shadow home secretary Diane Abbott supporting their former colleague.

Webbe was elected as Leicester East MP in 2019, replacing Keith Vaz who was suspended from the Commons.

She also worked as a councillor in Islington between 2010 and 2021.

Webbe, of Islington, north London, was also ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and told to pay £3,128 in costs and surcharges.