Ex-Labour MP Mike Amesbury has had his 10-week prison sentence suspended for two-years following an appeal at Chester Crown Court today.
The Runcorn & Helsby MP was sent straight to jail following his sentencing hearing at Chester Magistrates' Court on Monday.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram handed out the two-and-a-half month custodial sentence after Amesbury admitted to the assault last month.
The bust-up saw 45-year-old constituent Paul Fellowes receive a number of blows to the head during an altercation in Frodsham, Cheshire, in the early hours of October 26.
PICTURED: Mike Amesbury arrives at Chester Magistrates' CourtPAAfter hitting Fellowes, the Runcorn & Helsby MP said: "You won't threaten the MP ever again, will you?"
Despite suspending Amesbury's sentence, Honorary Recorder of Chester Judge Steven Everett stressed the initial sentence's length was "spot on".
He also ordered the 55-year-old to carry out 200 hours unpaid work, undertake a 12-month alcohol monitoring requirement, attend an anger management course and carry out 20 days of rehabilitation work.
Amesbury, who was handcuffed as he arrived at court in a prison van, could still bring a by-election headache to Sir Keir Starmer's door given his suspended sentence still triggers a recall petition.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Mike Amesbury arriving at court
PA
Around five per cent of voters in Runcorn & Helsby, half the figure needed to trigger a by-election in a recall petition, already signed a petition demanding an immediate General Election.
However, Amesbury will continue to pocket his £91,0O0 salary under parliamentary rules for the duration of time as a Member of Parliament.
Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf is calling for Amesbury to resign rather than waiting six weeks to complete a recall petition.
Yusuf said: “Today Mike Amesbury has been sentenced to 10 weeks in prison.
Mike Amesbury was sentenced to 10-weeks after landing several blowsMAILONLINE“The great people of Runcorn deserve far better than waiting six weeks for a recall petition to take place.
“We call on Mike Amesbury to do the honourable thing and resign immediately so a by-election can be held.”
Reform UK doubled-down on its campaign to force Amesbury to quit, sending a van up to the Cheshire constituency on Tuesday.
The van was emblazoned with messages against Amesbury, including: "Runcorn's Labour MP punched a constituent."
Nigel Farage's party is ramping up the pressure to force a by-election in the seatREFORM UKA Reform UK source also told GB News: "Every house in the constituency has already had a letter from Nigel.
"It's just about selecting a candidate. It's going to be an uphill battle - it's one of Labour's safest seat in the country - but we're going to give it everything."
A total of six MPs have faced recall petitions since the Recall of MPs Act 2015.
Ex-North Antrim MP Ian Paisley Jr was the only MP to survive a recall petition, with Peter Bone and Margaret Ferrier being among the Commons casualties.
Former Blackpool South MP Scott Benton opted to resign rather than face the humiliation of a successful recall petition in 2024.
