Peterborough MP Fiona Onasanya releases new statement concerning her defence

On Monday Ms Onasanya published a video on Twitter and Facebook where she continued to say she was innocent - and said her side of the story had not been revealed. She pleaded with residents to allow her to remain as MP for Peterborough.

However, in the video she did not give her version of events.

Today on Facebook she said: “I have noted a number of remarks about my side of the story.

“The charge brought against me was for perverting the course of public justice.

“The Judge acknowledged the following in his sentencing remarks “...the evidence at trial showed that these were by no means normal circumstances for you...I also accept your evidence that others would frequently drive your car...”

Ms Onasanya was found guilty following a retrial of colluding with her brother Festus to avoid prosecution for going 41mph in a 30mph zone on July 24 in 2017.

A Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) was sent back to authorities claiming a Russian man was behind the wheel. But inquiries revealed he was in Russia with his parents at the time.

During her trial Ms Onasanya’s solicitor claimed that it was her brother who had filled out the form.

In her latest statement Ms Onasanya referred to a passage from Mr Justice Stuart-Smith as he sentenced her to three months in jail.

The full quote which Mr Justice Stuart-Smith said during sentencing was: “In any normal circumstances it would be incredible that you would not have realised that the NIP you received some nine days later related to a time when you were driving. But the evidence at trial showed that these were by no means normal circumstances for you.

“You had been elected to Parliament as the Member for Peterborough on 8 June 2017 and had first gone to Westminster on 12 June. Initially you had no staff, with your first member of staff being recruited at the end of June. You had no constituency office in Peterborough and were initially hot-desking or squatting on benches in the corridors at Westminster.

“Within four weeks you were appointed to the select committee for housing. You had to install additional security at home by the first week or so of July and were completely swamped by emails and post. You had no proper diary system in place.

“On all of the evidence, you were living a life that was extremely hectic and pretty chaotic. I also accept your evidence that others would frequently drive your car, particularly when you were in London and it was left in Cambridge or Peterborough.”

The Peterborough Telegraph reported on Ms Onasanya’s defence during her trial and subsequent retrial.

More: Judge’s sentencing remarks in full as Fiona and Festus Onasanya are jailed