Man jailed for 'vile' threats to murder MP

A antheral who made repeated "vile" threats to execution his MP has been jailed for 1 and a fractional years.

Benjamin Clarke, 31, bombarded Sam Rushworth with maltreatment online earlier threatening to pain the Bishop Auckland MP's location down with the Labour person inside, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Mr Rushworth said helium initially wanted his tormentor to get assistance for his evident intelligence wellness issues but, fearing Clarke's ongoing "hatred" and the caller killings of different MPs, had had to boost his and his family's security.

Having been deemed "dangerous", Clarke, who admitted making threats to termination and sending violative communications, volition besides person to service a further 18 months connected extended licence.

Clarke archetypal contacted Mr Rushworth, who had been elected successful the 2024 wide election, connected Facebook successful the aftermath of the riots following the execution of 3 girls successful Southport, authoritative Susan Hurst said.

Starting connected 1 August, Clarke sent nonstop messages to the MP calling him abusive presumption and blaming Mr Rushworth and the authorities for the violence, the tribunal heard.

Clarke, of Durham Street successful Bishop Auckland, escalated to threats, telling Mr Rushworth: "I can't hold until your adjacent nationalist appearance, you'll beryllium fortunate to permission successful 1 piece."

The MP reported the menace to Durham Police but asked officers to sojourn Clarke and springiness him a informing alternatively than prosecute him, the tribunal heard.

But the abusive comments astir Mr Rushworth did not halt and connected 17 September, Clarke told a societal idiosyncratic helium would "smash [the MP's] caput disconnected the pavement until helium dies," adding helium would firebomb Mr Rushworth's bureau oregon location and artifact the doors truthful helium could basal extracurricular and perceive his victim's screams, the tribunal heard.

Asked if helium really meant to transportation retired the threats, Clarke said helium was "going to bash it and it's conscionable a substance of time", the tribunal heard.

The societal idiosyncratic reported the comments to constabulary and Clarke was arrested, telling officers helium had received nary enactment for his intelligence wellness issues and it was the "political scenery wherever helium lives which was causing him concern", Ms Hurst said.

Clarke told constabulary helium had nary governmental allegiances but had a "personal grievance" against Mr Rushworth, earlier adding helium had not intended to origin immoderate harm and his comments were due to the fact that helium was "desperate for help".

Having been released connected bail, connected 27 February Clarke called exigency services to study helium was having thoughts of termination and self-harm, Ms Hurst said.

As paramedics tried to assistance him, Clarke told them Mr Rushworth had "ruined his life", said helium "could kill" the MP and mentioned burning down his home.

Clarke said helium would harm Mr Rushworth's woman arsenic good and showed "considerable knowledge" astir the MP's location life, Ms Hurst said.

In his ongoing "diatribe", Clarke said if helium was sent to situation helium would termination the MP and past himself, the tribunal heard.

The comments were reported to constabulary and Clarke was arrested again, making nary remark successful his interviews.

In a connection work to the court, Mr Rushworth said helium did not cognize whether Clarke was "capable" of pursuing done connected the threats but it was evident helium had a "strong and irrational hatred" for the MP.

Mr Rushworth said helium bore "no sick will" towards Clarke, adding: "I person tried astatine each measurement to equilibrium the needs for information with compassion for a antheral I deem to beryllium mentally unwell."

But, Mr Rushworth added, Clarke had seemed to "double down" connected his hatred and it had go "increasingly clear" helium "had a fixation to termination maine for reasons lone helium knows".

He said helium had had to boost information astatine his location and his woman and children had been majorly affected by the threats.

Mr Rushworth said helium liked to beryllium unfastened and accessible to people, regularly holding meetings with constituents and attending events, but, successful airy of the murders of MPs specified arsenic Jo Cox and David Amess, helium had to person have information guards with him.

Mr Justice Cotter said Clarke's "vitriolic" messages and threats were "vile", with Clarke "obsessed with killing" Mr Rushworth causing the MP and his household "very superior harm".

The justice condemned radical online who had "approved" Clarke's criminality and made "highly inappropriate comments" connected his hate-filled Facebook posts astir the MP.

Mr Justice Cotter said morganatic disapproval of politicians was an important portion of nine but "no MP should ever look idiosyncratic threats, harassment oregon intimidation", adding the "democracy of this state would beryllium eroded" if radical felt incapable to enactment successful the "vital nationalist roles".

The justice said Clarke was "dangerous" and had "entrenched views" successful which helium blamed others for his ain problems and the country's issues, which helium "viewed done a racist lens".

A restraining bid banning Clarke from contacting the MP oregon his family, oregon making immoderate notation to them connected societal media, was made to past indefinitely.

Should Clarke request to interaction an MP successful future, helium would person to wide it with the tribunal first, the justice said.