Claudia Webbe has been handed a 10-week custodial sentence sentence suspended for two years after threatening partner’s friend with acid.
She must also complete 200 hours of community service. An application submitted for a restraining order was not granted.
Webbe was found guilty of harassment on 13 October, following a trial at Westminster Magistrates Court.
Webbe, who was elected to Parliament for the Labour party in 2019, had the party whip suspended after being charged in September 2020 for allegedly harassing Michelle Merritt, a female friend of her partner.
Webbe reportedly believed the two were having an affair. Westminster Magistrates Court heard Webbe began a campaign against Merritt, through unwanted phone calls, insults, and threatening to attack her with acid. Webbe also said she would distribute naked pictures of Merritt to her family.
The Labour party have since officially asked Webbe to resign, a process which would trigger a by-election in the East Midlands seat where the Labour majority has decreased in recent years.
Such a conviction will likely trigger a suspension of Webbe from parliament, should she fail to step down from her seat.
She has previously indicated that she will appeal the conviction.
Under a 2015 law brought in after the expenses scandal, any MP suspended for 10 plus days can face a petition in which constituents can request that a by-election be held.
The support of ten per cent of electors in Webbe’s seat would be required to prompt an election in the constituency.
A similar process led to a by-election in Brecon and Radnorshire in 2019 in which the Conservative Party subsequently lost the seat to the Liberal Democrats.
The post Claudia Webbe handed suspended sentence after threatening partner’s friend with acid appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
She must also complete 200 hours of community service. An application submitted for a restraining order was not granted.
Webbe was found guilty of harassment on 13 October, following a trial at Westminster Magistrates Court.
Webbe, who was elected to Parliament for the Labour party in 2019, had the party whip suspended after being charged in September 2020 for allegedly harassing Michelle Merritt, a female friend of her partner.
Webbe reportedly believed the two were having an affair. Westminster Magistrates Court heard Webbe began a campaign against Merritt, through unwanted phone calls, insults, and threatening to attack her with acid. Webbe also said she would distribute naked pictures of Merritt to her family.
The Labour party have since officially asked Webbe to resign, a process which would trigger a by-election in the East Midlands seat where the Labour majority has decreased in recent years.
Such a conviction will likely trigger a suspension of Webbe from parliament, should she fail to step down from her seat.
She has previously indicated that she will appeal the conviction.
Under a 2015 law brought in after the expenses scandal, any MP suspended for 10 plus days can face a petition in which constituents can request that a by-election be held.
The support of ten per cent of electors in Webbe’s seat would be required to prompt an election in the constituency.
A similar process led to a by-election in Brecon and Radnorshire in 2019 in which the Conservative Party subsequently lost the seat to the Liberal Democrats.
The post Claudia Webbe handed suspended sentence after threatening partner’s friend with acid appeared first on Politics.co.uk.