LONDON (Reuters) – A British lawmaker was charged with assault on Thursday after he allegedly punched a passerby who he said had been threatening him after a Friday night out.
Mike Amesbury was suspended from the governing Labour Party after CCTV and video footage showed him throwing a punch at a man and repeatedly hitting him after he was knocked to the ground.
“Following a review of the evidence provided by Cheshire Police, we have authorised a charge of common assault against Mike Amesbury,” said Rosemary Ainslie, Head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Special Crime Division.
“The charge follows an alleged assault in Frodsham, Cheshire, on Saturday, 26 October 2024.”
After the incident, Amesbury, the Member of Parliament for Runcorn and Helsby in north-west England, said he felt threatened on the street after an evening out with friends, saying he co-operate with any inquiries if required. He said he would not make further public comment on the incident.
The Labour Party did not immediately respond to a fresh request for comment after Amesbury was charged. They had previously said Amesbury was suspended from the party pending an investigation.
Local police said Amesbury was set to appear in court at a “later date” in relation to reports of an assault on a 45-year-old man.
(Reporting by Alistair Smout, Editing by Paul Sandle)
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