Peter Bone: Man admits offensive calls to Tory MP

The phone calls to Peter Bone's office took place in December, after the government introduced restrictions in response to the Omicron variant, the court heard

A man has admitted leaving grossly offensive voicemails about Covid-19 restrictions on a Conservative MP's constituency office phone.

Shaun Harris, 51, of Nest Farm Crescent, Wellingborough, in Northamptonshire, left the messages for Wellingborough MP Peter Bone.

He was "concerned" about the government's Plan B Covid restrictions as he was out of work, a court heard.

He will be sentenced at Northampton Magistrates' Court on 7 March.

Harris pleaded guilty to three malicious communications offences after leaving the messages for Mr Bone on 13 December.

The court heard he left the voicemails in the early hours of the morning, which were diverted to the mobile phone of Mr Bone's ex-wife.

Prosecutor Sukhy Basi read one of the messages to the court, which said: "If you put any restrictions on us again, we'll come down there and sort you out.

"You stop doing what you are doing, otherwise we are going to war with you."

The magistrates also heard a number of threats and expletives directed at Mr Bone were contained in the voicemails.

Harris had been out of work for a year when the government introduced its Plan B restrictions in response to the Omicron variant, the court was told.

The court heard he had 13 previous convictions for 20 offences, including sending abusive messages to two women in 2018.

Mr Bone previously condemned a separate attack on his constituency office in November, when the words "Tory sleaze" were painted on it.

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