Former Labour MP Mike Amesbury, who was jailed for 10 weeks after admitting to repeatedly punching a constituent in the street, has outrageously had his sentence suspended following an appeal.
Amesbury, the MP for Runcorn and Helsby, assaulted 45-year-old Paul Fellows near a taxi rank in Frodsham, Cheshire, in the early hours of 26 October.
CCTV footage played in court showed the politician striking Mr Fellows in the head, knocking him to the ground, before hitting him at least five more times. Amesbury was heard taunting his victim, saying: “You won’t threaten your MP again, will you?”
Yet, despite this sickening act of violence, a judge ruled on appeal that Amesbury’s sentence should be suspended for two years. Instead of facing justice, he will now carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, attend an alcohol monitoring programme, undergo anger management treatment, and complete 20 days of rehabilitation work.
Soft Justice for a Labour MP – But Not for the Public
Judge Steven Everett, the same judge who jailed a carer for 15 months over a Facebook post, has now given a free pass to a violent MP. His ruling has sparked accusations of a two-tier justice system where ordinary citizens are harshly punished for words online while Labour politicians escape real consequences for physical violence.
Judge Everett, sitting with two magistrates at Chester Crown Court, admitted that the original sentence was “spot on”—but still opted to suspend it.
“The facts show you in a truly unfavourable light. As an MP, you should be setting an example,” Judge Everett told Amesbury. Yet, instead of ensuring Amesbury faced the full force of the law, the judge disgracefully handed him a get-out-of-jail-free card.
Judge Who Jailed Carer for Facebook Post Lets Off Violent MP
The hypocrisy could not be clearer. The same judge who threw a carer in prison for 15 months over a mere social media post has now spared an MP who physically assaulted a member of the public.
Julie Sweeney, Peter Lynch (who tragically took his own life in prison), Lucy Connelly, and Wayne O’Rourke have all been given custodial sentences for social media activity. But a Labour MP who repeatedly punched someone in the head? He walks free. How can anyone defend this blatant double standard?
The public reaction on social media has been harsh, with many labeling the judge as “two-tier.”
Former Miss Great Britain Leilani Dowding said: “This is the judge Steven Everett who let violent Labour MP THUG Mike Amesbury face no prison time. He allowed his sentence to be suspended on appeal. Meanwhile 53 year old Julie Sweeney rots in jail over a social media post He also let man with child rape images walk free.”
Conservative commentator Chris Rose said: “We live in a country where sending mean emails to an MP will result in 28 weeks in prison. A Labour MP punching a member of the public, walking free. The UK now looks corrupt and insane.”
‘A Pack of Lies’ – And A Free Pass
Amesbury initially tried to play the victim, claiming in a police statement that he had been confronted by an aggressive man “shouting and screaming” about political matters. He alleged he had “no option” but to defend himself. But Judge Everett himself dismissed this as “a pack of lies. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Despite acknowledging Amesbury’s dishonesty and violent behaviour, Judge Everett still let him off the hook, even questioning why the prosecution hadn’t charged the MP with affray—a charge that could have carried a harsher sentence.
Public Fury at the Rigged System
Amesbury had the Labour whip removed in October and now sits as an independent MP. However, despite his conviction, he has refused to confirm whether he will resign.
“I’d like to reiterate that I sincerely apologise once again to Mr Fellows and his family. I’m now going to go and see my family, and I’ll give a statement at a later stage,” Amesbury said as he smugly left court, dodging media questions.
Public anger is growing at the glaring injustice of it all. Under the current Labour government, it seems you are more likely to go to prison for a Facebook post than for physically assaulting someone. The law appears to be applied selectively—one rule for MPs, another for the rest of us.
Could Amesbury Face a By-Election?
Under parliamentary rules, an MP who receives a custodial sentence can be subject to a recall petition. If at least 10% of Amesbury’s constituents sign the petition, a by-election will be triggered.
Speaker of the House of Commons Lindsay Hoyle is expected to confirm the next steps following Amesbury’s sentencing. If a recall petition is initiated, it will be the first by-election since Labour took office following the July 2024 general election.
Amesbury, who first won a seat in Parliament in 2017, secured a comfortable victory in the newly created Runcorn and Helsby constituency last year, winning 53% of the vote with a majority of over 14,000. Reform UK finished second, ahead of the Conservatives.
But now, his fate may be in the hands of the public—who, unlike the judge, might just demand real accountability.
