Luciana Berger: Man admits sending Labour MP death threats

John Nimmo admitted two counts of sending a message causing anxiety or distress

A man has admitted sending death threats to Labour MP Luciana Berger.

The Liverpool Wavertree MP was sent a number of emails, including one which said she would "get it like Jo Cox", South Tyneside magistrates were told.

John Nimmo, 28, also sent another which said: "Watch your back Jewish scum, regards your friend the Nazi". He admitted two counts of sending a message causing anxiety or distress.

He was remanded to be sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court on 24 August.

Nimmo, of Moreland Road, South Shields, was previously jailed in 2014 for sending abusive messages on Twitter to feminist campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez and MP Stella Creasy.

'Fear and anguish'

The court heard Nimmo sent a message to Ms Berger on 6 July which said: "Justice for Joshua Bonehill-Paine will be sweet, he has friends everywhere. Watch your back Jewish scum, regards your friend the Nazi."

Two days later he sent another, which read: "You will get it like Jo Cox did, you better watch your back Jewish scum".

Luciana Berger has joined the race to become Liverpool's first metro mayor

The second email included a picture of a large knife, magistrates heard.

Labour MP Jo Cox, 41, was shot and stabbed shortly before she was due to hold a constituency surgery in Birstall, West Yorkshire, last month.

'Terrifying'

In a statement, the former shadow minister for mental health said the messages had caused her "great fear and anguish" and being threatened had left her in a state of "huge distress" and caused her to "feel physically sick".

"I was extremely concerned for my safety and I felt completely under threat. I had previously received anti-Semitic messages and threats but the reference to Jo Cox was terrifying," she said.

In May, Ms Berger officially joined the race to become Liverpool's first metro mayor and has been the target of hate messages in the past, often referencing her Jewish heritage.