MP Claudia Webbe loses appeal against harassment conviction

Key Facts

The appeal hearing heard Ms Merritt had reported being "threatened by a public figure with acid", but received 17 further phone calls lasting 14 seconds or less from Webbe after the MP was warned by police to stop contacting her.
Image source, PA Media Image caption, Webbe said she split up with Lester Thomas in March 2022 The appeal heard since the trial, Ms Merritt's phone had been examined and downloaded by police, revealing sexual messages between her and Mr Thomas.
But prosecutor Susannah Stevens said: "What was going on between Michelle Merritt and Lester Thomas is actually unhelpful to the appellant's case because Claudia Webbe's suspicions as to all of that provide her not with a defence but with a motivation."
ANALYSIS By Tony Roe, BBC East Midlands political editor The decision to overturn the custodial element of Claudia Webbe's sentence is significant as it means voters won't get a chance - for now - to say if she should be sacked as an MP, in what's called a recall petition.