MP Claudia Webbe loses appeal against harassment conviction
Independent MP Claudia Webbe has lost her appeal against a conviction for harassment.
The Leicester East politician was slapped with a 10-week suspended jail sentence and 200 hours of community service, in September 2020.
She was found guilty of harassing a woman, Michelle Merritt, who was having a relationship with her partner at the time,
Webbe – who was formerly a Labour MP before being kicked out the party – was found to have targeted Merritt through a series of phone calls and text messages between 2018 and 2020.
The Leicester East MP threatened to pour acid on Merritt and show naked photos of the victim to her children as a part of a campaign of harassment.
This week, Webbe’s appeal against her October 2021 conviction was dismissed at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday.
In a statement issued after the verdict, Claudia Webbe said she was “deeply shocked by today’s outcome.”
“As I said in court and repeat now, I have never threatened violence nor would I.”
“As the court heard today, the events of the 25th of April are deeply personal. I was, as reported in the court, facing domestic abuse at the time of the call. I was deeply frustrated that my partner and Michelle Merritt 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.”
“I did not make a threat to throw acid at Michelle, and this was made clear by the judge. As evidenced in court, she had lied to the police and to the court.”