Jail warning for ex-labour MP convicted of harassment
Claudia Webbe made threatening phone calls after becoming jealous of her partner’s ex-girlfriend
CLAUDIA WEBBE, the former Labour MP, has been warned she faces a possible prison sentence after being convicted of harassment over a series of threatening phone calls she made to a former girlfriend of her partner.
The politician, who now sits as an independent MP for Leicester East, was found guilty after a court heard she had threatened Michelle Merritt with acid and told her she would send naked pictures of her to her daughters.
The campaign began after Webbe became obsessively jealous of Ms Merritt’s relationship with her boyfriend, Lester Thomas, a scout with Chelsea Football Club.
Webbe, who received character references from Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour leader, and fellow MP Dianne Abbott, had claimed her phone calls had merely been intended to warn Ms Merritt not to break coronavirus restrictions by meeting her boyfriend during lockdown.
But Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring rejected her defence and warned her she faced a possible prison term when she is sentenced on Nov 4.
He said: “I do not find the defendant to be cogent, compelling and truthful in all aspects of her evidence. In short, I find Ms Webbe to be vague, incoherent and at times illogical, and ultimately I find her to be untruthful.”
After the verdict, a Labour Party spokesman said: “The Labour Party strongly condemns Claudia Webbe’s actions and she should now resign.”
If she is given a custodial sentence the Speaker of the House of Commons could trigger a recall petition, which could result in a by-election for the seat that was previously held by Keith Vaz.
Webbe said she was “deeply shocked” at the verdict and intended to appeal.
The MP claimed she had only spoken to Ms Merritt out of “courtesy” to warn her not to breach Covid rules by meeting her partner during lockdown.
In a statement issued after the verdict, she said: “I was deeply frustrated that my partner and my accuser had been socialising in the middle of the Covid pandemic, contrary to the rules and all health advice. I was frightened and frustrated by his behaviour.
“But that fear and frustration could not and should not have been interpreted as harassment.
“The recording of the call has been taken out of context.”
However, following a two-day trial Mr Goldspring rejected the argument and found Webbe guilty of the harassment charge.
The court was told Webbe was jealous of Mr Thomas’s friendship with Ms Merritt, a former girlfriend who he dated about 15 years ago.
She was accused of making a series of silent phone calls to Ms Merritt from a withheld number.
But the court heard that the harassment
‘I find Ms Webbe to be vague, incoherent and at times illogical, and ultimately I find her to be untruthful’
had escalated on Mother’s Day 2019 when she spoke to her on the telephone, called her “slag” and threatened to send naked pictures and videos of her to Ms Merritt’s daughters.
It is not clear whether she was in possession of any images but threatening revenge porn was outlawed following a change in the law earlier this year.
Ms Merritt reported the matter to the police in April 2019 and Webbe was warned by police.
But despite the warning, the politician made a further 16 calls to Ms Merritt who recorded one, which was later played to the court.
In that recording, Ms Webbe can be heard saying: “Why are you still butting in and getting with Lester? Why, why?
“He’s not your friend, he’s with me and I don’t want you to be in touch with me, I don’t want you to be in touch with him.”
In the background Mr Thomas could be heard shouting: “Don’t listen to her, send me a message whenever you like. Michelle, come off the phone and call the police.”
Ms Webbe then screams: “Lester why don’t you go and live with her? Take everything and go and live with her.”
She can then be heard repeatedly shouting: “Get out of my relationship.”
Webbe was released on unconditional bail until the sentencing hearing.