‘Jealous MP threatened boyfriend’s ex-lover’
Claudia Webbe accused of harassment after telling woman she would ‘share naked images of her’
A former Labour MP threatened to send naked pictures of a woman to her family after becoming obsessively jealous of the woman’s relationship with her boyfriend, a court has heard. Claudia Webbe, the MP for Leicester East, who was suspended by Labour, also made a threat towards Michelle Merritt involving acid during an alleged campaign of harassment between September 2018 and April last year, Westminster magistrates were told.
A FORMER Labour MP threatened to send naked pictures of a woman to her family and called her a “slag” after becoming obsessively jealous of the woman’s relationship with her boyfriend, a court has heard.
Claudia Webbe, the MP for Leicester East, also made a threat towards Michelle Merritt involving acid during an alleged campaign of harassment between September 2018 and April last year.
The 56-year-old politician – who was suspended by the Labour Party after being charged and now sits as an independent – was at the time in a relationship with Lester Thomas, a scout at Chelsea Football Club.
But she became obsessed with his friendship with Ms Merritt, 59, a former girlfriend whom Mr Thomas dated about 15 years ago.
The court heard they had made contact again in 2015 when Ms Merritt moved to east London, and began seeing each other about once a fortnight.
Westminster magistrates’ court was told that Ms Webbe began by making a series of short silent phone calls to Ms Merritt from a withheld number whenever she was with Mr Thomas.
Susannah Stevens, prosecuting, said the harassment escalated on Mother’s Day in March 2019 when Ms Webbe spoke to Ms Merritt and made a string of threats.
“The Crown say Claudia Webbe was in such a state during this call that not only did she query the nature of the contact and fail to accept that Michelle Merritt and Lester Thomas were just friends, she then went on to say, ‘She’s a slag’, and also, ‘Should be acid [sic]’.
“The defendant further threatened Ms Merritt that naked photos and videos of her would be sent to Ms Merritt’s children.
“Ms Merritt was, perhaps not surprisingly, caused considerable distress by this call. She was alarmed and concerned for her safety.”
It is not clear whether Ms Webbe was in possession of any images, however threatening revenge porn has been outlawed since a change in the law earlier this year.
Ms Merritt reported the matter to the police and in April 2019 the MP was warned by officers to cease her activities.
However, despite the warning she made a further 16 phone calls to Ms Merritt, including one on April 25 last year that the alleged victim recorded.
The court was told that Ms Webbe repeatedly ordered Ms Merritt to “get out of my relationship”.
Giving evidence, Ms Merritt said the call on Mother’s Day had been particularly distressing.
She told the court: “I was with my daughter celebrating Mother’s Day at the time, but now that’s gone and the reality has just hit me.
“She works for the Labour Party, she is in the public arena and she’s accusing me of, in her words, ‘slagging around with her boyfriend’, which I’m not.
“She’s threatened to throw acid over me, she knows where I live, she’s going to send pictures of me and him to my daughters.”
In the recording that was played to the court, 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.”
The MP did not deny using the words, however she claimed that they were not directed to Ms Merritt but to Mr Thomas, with whom she was having an argument at the time.
Ms Merritt again went to the police and Ms Webbe voluntarily attended Islington police station for interview on July 30 last year where she provided a prepared statement and then gave a “no comment” interview.
Ms Webbe, of Islington, north London, denies one count of harassment.
Paul Goldspring, the chief magistrate, adjourned the case to Oct 13, when the trial continues.
‘She works for Labour, she is in the public arena and she’s accusing me of, in her words, “slagging around with her boyfriend” ’
‘She’s threatened to throw acid over me, she knows where I live, she’s going to send pictures of me and him to my daughters’