Claudia Webbe: Man jailed for racist and misogynistic abuse of MP

Claudia Webbe was sent racist and misogynistic abuse by Hasmukh Doshi

A man who harassed an MP and sent her racist and misogynistic messages has been jailed for two years and four months.

Hasmukh Doshi targeted Claudia Webbe, independent MP for Leicester East, with abusive correspondence between March and November 2021.

The 72-year-old, of Shanti Margh, Leicester, was also ordered not to contact the politician for three years.

Ms Webbe said the abuse had a "profound impact" on her.

She said she first met Doshi at a constituency surgery in 2020.

'Absolutely devastated'

Doshi was convicted of four counts of sending by public communication network an offensive message and three of racially or religiously aggravated intentional harassment at Leicester Crown Court.

Talking about the case, Ms Webbe said: "It caused me to question my job, that no matter how much I helped and regardless of the success of some of the outcomes achieved, it was never enough, I would still be the target of hate and regarded as inferior.

"The racism and misogyny were to belittle and demean me, to cause me hurt. I was absolutely devastated."

Ms Webbe represents her constituency as an independent after being suspended by the Labour Party following her conviction for harassment.

She was given a suspended prison sentence in 2021 for harassing Michelle Merritt between September 2018 and April 2020.

Ms Webbe's appeal against her conviction failed last year, although the sentence she received was reduced to community service.

Labour has previously called for her to resign.