Mike Amesbury, 55, was handed a 10-week prison sentence on Monday after previously pleading guilty to assaulting constituent Paul Fellows while he was out drinking in Frodsham last October.
But it has been suspended for two years following an appeal at Chester Crown Court after Amesbury spent three nights in HMP Altcourse.
During a hearing at Chester Magistrates’ Court earlier this week, prosecutor Alison Storey said the pair were alone at a taxi rank in the town when the incident took place at around 2am on October 26.
She said in footage of the clash, Amesbury and Mr Fellows are seen talking before Amesbury is heard shouting ‘what?’ a few times before punching Mr Fellows in the face.
Amesbury then followed him onto the road and punched him a further five times while asking: ‘You won’t threaten your f*cking MP again, will you?’. He then walked away, Ms Storey said.
The altercation left Mr Fellows with a lump to his head and a graze to his elbow. It’s not clear if his injuries were a result of him falling on the ground or because of the punch.
Mitigating, the MP’s lawyer said the assault was ‘extremely regrettable’ and the incident was recorded on CCTV but the preceding conversation was not recorded, which contained something Amesbury took offence to.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram previously handed him a sentence of 10 weeks.
But Honorary Recorder of Chester Judge Steven Everett, sitting with two magistrates, suspended his sentence this afternoon.
He also ordered Amesbury to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, undertake a 120-day alcohol monitoring requirement, go on an anger management course and complete 20 days of rehabilitation work.
Judge Everett said it would be wrong to sentence Amesbury differently because he was an MP but added: ‘That doesn’t mean we can’t take into account that your behaviour as an MP was simply disgraceful.’
He said: ‘It’s been a very fine line. We came to the conclusion that, without in any way criticising the original sentence of 10 weeks, because of the important change in the last three to four days you are a realistic prospect of rehabilitation and therefore we will suspend the sentence for two years.’
The former Labour MP arrived at court in a prison van and was led into the building in handcuffs by an officer.
The MP for Runcorn and Helsby was suspended from the Labour Party soon after media reports on the incident appeared.
He currently sits in Parliament as an independent but could still be ousted from his seat if his constituents want a by-election.
A Labour Party spokesperson previously said: ‘The Labour Party took swift action following Mike Amesbury’s completely unacceptable actions and he is no longer a Labour MP or a member of the Labour Party.
‘It is right that Mr Amesbury pleaded guilty and has now been sentenced. Local residents in the Runcorn and Helsby constituency deserved better and we look forward to them getting the representation they deserve in the future with a new Labour MP.’
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