Labour’s suspended MP Mike Amesbury has pleaded guilty to assault by beating in court today after punching a man in a late-night bust-up in Cheshire.
Amesbury admitted to punching 45-year-old Paul Fellows in Main Street in Frodsham, Cheshire, which was reported to police at 2.48am on October 26 last year.
The Runcorn & Helsby MP had the Labour whip removed in late October after multiple videos of the assault emerged on social media.
The 55-year-old was summonsed to Chester Magistrates’ Court today to face a section 39 assault charge after a file was passed to prosecutors on October 29 – three days after the attack.
PICTURED: Mike Amesbury arrives at Chester Magistrates’ Court
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Alison Storey, prosecuting, told the court how Fellows was in Frodsham town centre by himself, and went to a taxi rank after a night out.
He was alone and had been drinking, she said.
Storey said: “Amesbury arrived at the same taxi rank. He too was alone and he too had been drinking.”
The court heard that Fellows recognised Amesbury and approached him to remonstrate about a bridge closure in the town.
She said CCTV showed engagement between them over a period of several minutes, but no aggression or raised voices.
MORE LABOUR CHAOS:
Amesbury followed Fellows into the road after he fell and started to punch him again at least five times, the court heard
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She said: “At one point Mr Fellows started to walk away but was re-engaged by Mr Amesbury.”
Amesbury was heard to say “what” a few times before shouting it, the court heard.
Storey said Fellows put his hands in his pockets and turned towards the taxi queue, but when he turned back, Amesbury punched him to the head, knocking him to the ground.
Amesbury followed him onto the road after he fell and started to punch him again at least five times, she said.