Chester man who stalked MP Samantha Dixon jailed

Samantha Dixon MP tried to help Benjamin Scott-Thrale with a family matter

A man who stalked his local MP has been jailed.

Benjamin Scott-Thrale, 32, of Chester, Cheshire, launched a campaign of harassment against Samantha Dixon MP, in June 2023 until January, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

It started after the City of Chester MP tried to help him with a family matter but told him she had done all she could to help and to seek legal advice.

Scott-Thrale, who pleaded not guilty, was sentenced to six weeks in jail.

He was convicted after a trial at Warrington Magistrates' Court.

The court took into account the time the defendant had already served in custody and Scott-Thrale's jail term was considered served.

He was also issued with a two-year restraining order.

His campaign of harassment included sending emails, making phone calls and calling into her constituency office and making threats that if Ms Dixon did not help him with his issue he would undermine her role as an MP through social media, the CPS said.

'Deliberate and persistent campaign'

Things came to a head on 30 January when Scott-Thrale rang the Labour MP's office again and said he would continue to contact Ms Dixon until he had a face-to-face meeting with her and she helped him.

The CPS said Ms Dixon began to feel seriously alarmed at Scott-Thrale's behaviour and contacted the police again and he was subsequently arrested.

Ms Dixon told the court the persistence of Scott-Thrale's contact affected her daily life and caused her genuine distress, the CPS said.

Simon Green, of the CPS, said: "Benjamin Scott-Thrale pursued a deliberate and persistent campaign of stalking and harassment against his local MP when he realised she couldn't give him what he wanted.

"His constant emails, phone calls and visits to the office were meant to threaten her and leave her with the impression that he was always there, in the background and would continue to be."

He said "polite requests from the MP and her staff" to stop the contact were ignored, as was the formal request from police.

"Members of Parliament perform a vital role in our democracy and it is essential they are able to represent their constituents without fear," Mr Green added.