Deputy Labour Leader Angela Rayner thanks Cambridgeshire police for their support after man was sentenced for sending her malicious communications

On Thursday, Benjamin Iliffe (36) of Slade Way, Chatteris appeared in court charged with malicious communications and possession of cannabis and 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.

Yesterday Angela issued a statement on Twitter, thanking police.

The statement said: “It shakes you when you get these threats. You worry about the safety of your home, your office and everything in your life. And it takes its toll on the people who work for me too.

“My staff come to work and do their jobs with dedication and professionalism. They bear the brunt of much of this abuse and then get on with their working day. Dealing with death threats and loading with the police about their safety should not be a standard part of the day-to-day working life of a Member of Parliament of their staff.

“I want to thank the police officers from Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire and Cambridgeshire Police who have arrested a number of people in recent days and demonstrated the utmost professionalism, courtesy and kindness both in carrying out their investigations and in supporting me, my family and my staff during what has been a very difficult time. I and my team will continue to work with them to ensure that the perpetrators of these crimes are brought to justice.”

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