Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner “burst into tears” and was left “scared out of her wits” after being blamed over the alleged murder of Sir David Amess, a court heard.
Stuart Kelly, 53, and Michael McGrath, 70, on Thursday both admitted to sending offensive, indecent, obscene or menacing messages to the MP for Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside.
Both men linked her comments at the Labour Party conference, calling Conservatives “scum”, in September last year to Sir David, 69, being stabbed to death at a surgery in his Leigh-on-Sea constituency in Essex, Westminster magistrates’ court heard.
On the day of his death, Kelly left three voicemail messages for Ms Rayner, 41, at her constituency office within 30 minutes.
One said: “I hope you get shot. You contributed to his death, you dirty scum. “In another he told her: “Well done, he’s a father-of-five. Well done, you’re a great MP.”
The next day former barber McGrath sent an email to Ms Rayner’s office in the early hours in which he branded her “tasteless lefty scum”.
‘No stranger’ to criticism
“Hope it never happens to you,” he wrote. “I bet you will be celebrating.”
Ms Rayner said in a statement that she is “no stranger” to criticism, which she usually sees as “people exercising their right to free speech”.
She said: “When I saw the contents of the email together with the voicemails I burst into tears. It made me feel extremely upset.
“I believe I have quite a thick skin when it comes to name calling and nasty comments, but this was in a completely different category.
“I am scared out of my wits, not only for my own safety but also the safety of my family, children and staff.”
Chief magistrate Paul Goldspring granted Kelly, who has been to court 27 times for 50 offences, unconditional bail as he adjourned sentencing to April 14 but warned him he faces time in jail.
The court heard that McGrath, from Sheffield, who has bowel cancer, later sent an apology email to Ms Rayner.
He was handed a six-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to pay £413 in costs and compensation, including £200 to the MP.
