Man who abused Tory Leeds MP fined

Nicholas Scales emailed Stuart Andrew saying that he hoped the IRA would reform and bomb a conservative party conference.

Scales, 41, of Upper Hale Road, in Surrey, also called the Conservative MP a “queer” and a “mummies (sic) boy” and said he would have to know how to defend himself if he had been on a night out in Leeds or Bradford.

Leeds Magistrates’ Court heard that Scales had sent the email on February 25 – just three days after the MP, who represents Pudsey, Horsforth and Aireborough, was assaulted by Labour politician Eric Joyce in the Strangers Bar.

The email, which was sent to the conservative MP’s constituency office in Calverley, told Mr Andrew to “stop wasting police time and get your ******* job done”.

The message, which was read by the MP’s secretary, continued: “The sooner the IRA restarts and bombs your conference again the better.”

“You Tory ***** are all the ******* same,” it added.

During an interview with police Scales said that he had no connection with Stuart Andrew and had no intention of carrying out the threats.

Scales pleaded guilty to sending a malicious communication last month.

Magistrates said that it was a “serious offence”.

They fined Scales £110 plus £85 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

They also handed him a restraining order preventing him for contacting Mr Andrew directly or indirectly for 12 months.

Defending Femi Odenekan said: “It was offensive and I make no bones about it.

“The defendant accepts that,

“It all boils down to the defendant’s political views and he understands what he did was wrong.”

He added that his client wasn’t aware of Mr Andrew’s sexual orientation and that he had strong feelings in relation to the Brighton Bombings by the IRA.

The Leeds MP was assaulted by Labour MP Eric Joyce when he went berserk in a House of Commons bar in February.

The 51-year-old former soldier headbutted Mr Andrew shortly before closing time at the Strangers Bar.

He also assaulted three other politicians.

Mr Joyce, who has since resigned from his post, was spared jail, but fined £3,000 and ordered to pay £1,400 to his four victims.