MP Claudia Webb, who was found to be harassing a woman because she was jealous of her relationship with her partner, has begun trying to overturn her sentence.
Webb, a 57-year-old independent MP from Leicester East, was sentenced to 10 weeks in prison, suspended for two years, in Westminster Magistrates’ Court in November after being found guilty of harassing Michelle Merritt.
Webb is appealing his sentence and his sentencing hearing before Judge Deborah Taylor and two magistrates at Southwark Court.
Opening the case Thursday, Susanne Stevens, a prosecutor, said the reason for the harassment was Merritt’s friendship with Webb’s boyfriend, Lester Thomas.
The court heard that the campaign began with silent phone calls in September 2018, then “escalated” on March 31, Mother’s Day, the following year, when Webb asked why Merritt was in a relationship with her boyfriend.
“That seems to be her obsession,” Stevens said. “The fact that Ms. Merritt should not be seen or contacted by Lester Thomas.
Merritt said Webb started calling her by name: “She called me a jerk and a slut. [She said] “Stay away from Mr. Thomas” and “You’re slag and you must be acid.”
“She said she knew where I lived [asked] why I sent pictures of my tits and pussy to Leicester. [She said] I will send them to your daughters.
Merritt said she felt “terrible”, adding: “I certainly didn’t want to be harmed in any way. I was very scared and trembling. “
She said she called the police and told them: “I was threatened by a public figure with acid.”
The court heard that Merritt received 17 more phone calls lasting 14 seconds or less from Webb after the MP was warned by the police to stop contacting her.
In a phone call recorded by Merritt on April 25, 2020, Webb was heard saying, “I saw all your nude photos.”
In the recording, Webb said: “Get out of my relationship, otherwise I will tell your whole family and show them all your photos.
Stevens said: “It was this jealousy that made her threaten Mrs. Merritt and tell her deeply disturbing things.
Webb entered the Municipalities as a Labor MP in December 2019, winning the seat previously held by Keith Vaz, a Labor veteran who resigned from parliament following a scandal.
Labor has previously said the party will push for a recall petition to call for further elections if Webb does not step down, but will have to wait for the outcome of her appeal.
The appeal will continue next week.
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