‘Naked pictures’ threat alleged in harassment trial

COURT TOLD OF CASE AGAINST LEICESTER EAST MP

LEICESTER East MP Claudia Webbe threatened to send naked pictures of a woman to her family because she was jealous of her friendship with her partner, a court has heard.

The 56-year-old also allegedly called 59-year-old Michelle Merritt sexually promiscuous during what the prosecution claims was a campaign of harassment between September 1, 2018 and April 26 last year.

Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard yesterday that Ms Webbe, who sits as an independent MP in the Commons after being suspended by the Labour Party, was in a friendship with Lester Thomas at that time.

“The reason for the harassment would appear to be the fact that Michelle Merritt was friends with Lester Thomas and this was an issue for the defendant Claudia Webbe,” said prosecutor Susannah Stevens.

She said Webbe made a string of short, silent phone calls from a withheld number to Ms Merritt, who told the court she has known Mr Thomas for more than 15 years and were “good friends” after previously dating.

“There was a pattern that whenever I had even met with Lester Thomas, if we had gone out for a drink or something, there would be a phone call,” she said, giving evidence from behind a screen.

“When you are being called and no one answers, it’s unnerving, especially as a woman who lives alone.”

Ms Stevens said the “harassment escalated in form” on Mother’s Day, March 31, 2019, when Webbe spoke to the alleged victim and asked about her relationship with Mr Thomas.

“This appears to be the defendant’s obsession – the fact Ms Merritt would not stop seeing her partner,” said the prosecutor.

“The defendant further threatened Ms Merritt that naked photos and videos of her would be sent to Ms Merritt’s children. She was alarmed and concerned for her safety.”

Ms Merritt said Ms Webbe said she was “Lester’s girlfriend” and then “really started shouting, ‘Why are you contacting Lester?’

“She was very, very angry at me. It was loud,” she said.

Ms Merritt said Ms Webbe accused her of sending indecent photographs to Mr Thomas.

She said: “It culminated in, ‘You should be acid.’ She confirmed she knew where I lived and would send pictures and videos to my daughters.”

The court heard Ms Merritt reported the call to the police and her employer, and that she had to take taxis to work so she could feel safer.

But despite being warned by officers in April 2019, Ms Webbe allegedly made a total of 16 further calls to the complainant, including one on April 25 last year, which Ms Merritt recorded.

Ms Stevens said

Ms Webbe repeatedly ordered Ms Merritt to “get out of my relationship”.

The court heard Ms Webbe accepted that she had called Ms Merritt, but claimed she had said those words to Mr Thomas during the course of an argument in which officers were called.

But the prosecutor said: “The Crown say the argument was over the defendant’s unhappiness with her partner’s relationship with Ms Merritt and this jealousy caused her to threaten Ms Merritt and say deeply distressing things to her.” Ms Webbe, pictured, from Islington, north London, denies one count of harassment.

She denied making silent phone calls deliberately from a withheld number.

She said after Ms Merritt’s complaint she had received a phone call from police, but it was unclear, not significant, and that she had not been “warned off any further contact”.

She claimed the recorded phone call has been taken out of context, having occurred while she was arguing with Mr Thomas about breaching the Covid19 lockdown with Ms Merritt. The trial continues.