MP Mike Amesbury admits Frodsham street assault

MP Mike Amesbury has admitted assault by beating after a video emerged showing him punching a man to the ground in his Cheshire constituency.

Amesbury, who represents Runcorn and Helsby, pleaded guilty to assaulting the 45-year-old at Chester Magistrates’ Court.

He had been suspended from the Labour Party after the footage appeared of the fracas, which occurred in Frodsham, Cheshire, at 02:45 BST on 26 October last year.

The video, which did not show the lead up to the altercation, recorded Amesbury shouting: “You won’t threaten the MP ever again, will you?”

Amesbury, who now sits as an independent MP, won his seat at the general election in July with a majority of 14,696.

He had served under Labour since 2017 and was a shadow minister between 2018 and 2024.

Alison Storey, prosecuting, told the court at about 02:00 GMT victim Paul Fellows was in Frodsham town centre and went to a taxi rank.

He was alone and had been drinking, she said.

Ms Storey said: “Mr Amesbury arrived at the same taxi rank. He too was alone and he too had been drinking.”

The court heard Mr Fellows recognised Amesbury and approached him to remonstrate about a bridge closure in the town.

She said CCTV showed AN engagement between them over a period of several minutes, but no aggression or raised voices.

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.