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Man pleads guilty to sending death threats to Liverpool MP Luciana Berger
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A man from South Shields has pleaded guilty to sending death threats to the Liverpool MP and mayoral hopeful Luciana Berger.
This article has been taken down on 14 July 2016 pending investigation.
John Nimmo, 28, appeared at South Tyneside magistrates court on 13 July where he pleaded guilty to sending a letter or communication that caused anxiety or distress. He was remanded in custody.
Berger, who was one of 20 people to resign from Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow cabinet last month, contacted police after receiving the threats last week. One message allegedly told her she was going to “get it like Jo Cox did”.
Another email included an image of a kitchen knife, as well as warnings telling her: “You better watch your back Jewish scum.”
In a statement, the MP for Wavertree, who is running to be Labour’s candidate for mayor of Liverpool city region, expressed her gratitude to the police for their “swift action” in dealing with the abuse.
“Behaviour like this seeks to threaten our democracy. Intimidation of any kind should never be tolerated,” she said.
Nimmo was sentenced to eight weeks in jail in January 2014 for subjecting feminist campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez to abuse on Twitter. He told Criado-Perez to “shut up bitch” and “Ya not that gd looking to rape u be fine”, followed by: “I will find you [smiley face]” and then the message “rape her nice ass”.
Nimmo also targeted his abuse at Stella Creasy, the Labour MP for Walthamstow, with the message: “The things I cud do to u [smiley face]”, and: “Dumb blond bitch”.
Since becoming an MP in 2010, Berger has frequently been subject to abuse, often referencing her Jewish heritage, causing her to increase security at her home.
In October 2014, Garron Helm, from Litherland, north of Liverpool, was handed a four-week custodial sentence at Merseyside magistrates court for sending an antisemitic tweet to Berger.
