Mike Amesbury expresses regret after pleading guilty to assaulting a man over a bridge dispute, facing potential jail time.
Amesbury told his victim, Paul Fellows, that he was “sincerely sorry.” He pleaded guilty to the assault that happened on October 26. The court saw CCTV footage showing him hitting Fellows multiple times while he was down.
After the hearing, Amesbury said he respects the judicial process. He called the incident regrettable and apologized to Fellows and his family. The judge kept all options open for sentencing on February 24.
The fight started when Fellows approached Amesbury at a taxi rank. They had been drinking, and Fellows wanted to talk about the bridge issue. Things escalated quickly, and Amesbury ended up punching him in the head.
Fellows suffered a lump on his head and a grazed elbow. Amesbury’s defense claimed it was a momentary incident. They mentioned that Amesbury had received a death threat recently, which might have influenced his reaction.
If he gets a prison sentence, he could lose his seat in Parliament. A suspended sentence could also trigger a recall process if enough voters petition for it. The Labour Party has suspended Amesbury and stated he must take responsibility for his actions.
