Cambridgeshire man given suspended sentence for malicious messages sent to deputy Labour Party leader Angela Rayner

Benjamin Iliffe (36) of Slade Way, Chatteris was charged earlier today (October 28) with malicious communications and possession of cannabis and appeared at Huntingdon Magistrates Court where he was sentenced to 15 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months.

He was also given a two-year restraining order not to contact Ms Rayner directly or indirectly, not to talk about her on social media and not to go to her office in Ashton-under-Lyne in Manchester.

The court heard that Mr Iliffe sent the email, telling her to “watch your back and your kids,” from his personal account on October 16 and was arrested on Wednesday (October 27).

The email added: ““Promise you c***.

“There’s so many people in this country now, after your poster boy murdered an Englishman who are coming after you now c***.

“You were easy to find btw.

“I already found your personal home address.”

Presiding magistrate Andrew Riddington, sentencing on Thursday, said: “We believe that the offences are so serious that it does cross the custody threshold.

“It’s so serious because of the psychological harm caused to a public servant.”

However, he said the sentence could be suspended after credit for Iliffe’s guilty pleas and the “remorse shown”.

Mr Riddington said he hoped the rehabilitation activity would help the defendant with his “low self esteem” and “drug use”.

Claire Thorneley, mitigating, said Iliffe had no previous convictions.

“It’s one email sent from his own personal account with no attempt to disguise himself,” she said.

“He made full admissions in police interview as to his conduct.

“He was very apologetic and remorseful.

“He’s expressed twice that he would wish an opportunity to apologise personally to Ms Rayner for the fear and distress he caused.”

The defendant, who appeared by video-link from Thorpe Wood police station in Peterborough, admitted the offence and was further ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and 35 days of a rehabilitation activity.

He also admitted to possessing a quantity of cannabis on Wednesday, when he was arrested. He was made to pay £85 costs, a £128 victim surcharge and fined £50 for the cannabis, which was ordered to be forfeited and destroyed.

As part of the same investigation, Greater Manchester Police also arrested a 52-year-old man in Halifax yesterday (October 27) on suspicion of malicious communications and South Yorkshire Police, this morning arrested a 70-year-old man for the same offence.

Mrs Rayner has cancelled her constituency surgeries in recent weeks amid concerns for her safety after an increase in abuse and death threats she says that she has received.

Cambridgeshire man charged after malicious messages sent to deputy Labour Party leader Angela Rayner