Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Sex pest MP to quit after second woman reveals he pestered her for 3 years
Bombarding barmaid with emails was ‘an illness’ politician claims
SEX pest MP Jared O’Mara yesterday promised to quit Parliament and claimed he was ill – after a second victim revealed he bombarded her with creepy messages for THREE YEARS.
Abigail Neely, 28, said the politician’s advances were so relentless she was forced to block him on social media.
In one message O’Mara, 37 – a former member of the Women and Equalities Committee – admitted he was “infatuated” with her and begged her not to ignore him.
In others he offered to change Abigail’s world and insisted he was “the dude she deserves”.
The onslaught started in 2015 when the pair worked together in a Sheffield bar – she as a barmaid, he as a DJ.
O’Mara kept on sending the messages after he was elected to his Sheffield Hallam seat and only stopped when Abigail complained to his parliamentary office late last year.
Mr O’Mara did not deny the claims yesterday, telling the Sunday Mirror: “This is true sadly.”
He announced he will quit his £79,000 a year MP’s job – but plans to hang on until Parliament returns from its five-week summer recess.
He said: “I’m not well and am in the process of receiving medical help.
“Please let everyone be assured I will be tendering my resignation via the official parliamentary process as soon as term restarts.”
In one email to Abigail, Mr O’Mara wrote: “Men (like me) get infatuated with beautiful women like you all the time and it’s not something for either of us to be awkward or angry about, nor do you need to ignore me.”
CHOICE
In others he offered her “a happy life beyond your comprehension” and pointed out: “Attraction ain’t a choice”.
Yesterday he said: “I have had problems before of compulsively sending nonsensical messages, after drinking, to people I have no interest in when sober. Please apologise to her on my behalf and assure her I am getting the professional help I need.”
His apology failed to impress Abigail. She said: “I think he’s misogynistic. He thinks it’s OK to do this to women. He keeps doing this.”
She said reports on Friday about the MP sexually harassing Jennifer Barnes – a member of his staff – were “eerily familiar”. Ms Barnes, 20, claimed he pestered her with “wildly inappropriate” texts and phone calls. She added he once told staff: “People should call women c***s more often.”
Mr O’Mara was elected as a Labour MP in May 2017, but quit the party last year after being suspended for alleged misogynistic and homophobic comments online.
He is now an independent MP.
Abigail said: “He’s had plenty of opportunities to sort himself out.
“When he was first investigated he should have stood down.
“But he didn’t. And he’s still taking the pay cheque.”
Last night Laura Gordon, Lib Dem candidate for Sheffield Hallam, said: “By resigning Jared is doing the right thing.”
Labour candidate Olivia Blake said: “I hope he gets the support he needs.”
He once told the staff that people should call women c***s more often
JENNIFER BARNES ON O’MARA’S BEHAVIOUR