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Man who threatened MP Louise Mensch banned from contacting celebrities | Man who threatened MP Louise Mensch banned from contacting celebrities |
(about 4 hours later) | |
An internet troll who sent a threatening email to MP Louise Mensch has been banned from contacting her or her husband. | An internet troll who sent a threatening email to MP Louise Mensch has been banned from contacting her or her husband. |
Frank Zimmerman from Barnwood, Gloucester, has also been barred from contacting celebrities including Lord Sugar and a former British Army chief. | Frank Zimmerman from Barnwood, Gloucester, has also been barred from contacting celebrities including Lord Sugar and a former British Army chief. |
Last year Zimmerman, 60, emailed the MP for Corby telling her to stop using Twitter or face the consequences. | Last year Zimmerman, 60, emailed the MP for Corby telling her to stop using Twitter or face the consequences. |
He was given a six month jail sentence, suspended for two years. | He was given a six month jail sentence, suspended for two years. |
In April, Zimmerman was convicted of sending by public communication network an offensive, indecent, obscene, menacing message or matter. | In April, Zimmerman was convicted of sending by public communication network an offensive, indecent, obscene, menacing message or matter. |
He failed to attend court on that occasion, blaming agoraphobia and depression. | He failed to attend court on that occasion, blaming agoraphobia and depression. |
He failed to attend sentencing on Friday and was arrested on Monday for breach of bail and taken to court by police. | He failed to attend sentencing on Friday and was arrested on Monday for breach of bail and taken to court by police. |
'Terrified' for children | 'Terrified' for children |
At Cheltenham Magistrates' Court earlier, Zimmerman was given a restraining order which prevents him contacting Mrs Mensch, her husband Peter and her ex-husband, property developer Anthony LoCicero. | At Cheltenham Magistrates' Court earlier, Zimmerman was given a restraining order which prevents him contacting Mrs Mensch, her husband Peter and her ex-husband, property developer Anthony LoCicero. |
He is also prevented from contacting Lord Sugar, businessman and star of The Apprentice television show, and Terence Blacker, a columnist with the Independent newspaper and Zimmerman's former neighbour in London. | He is also prevented from contacting Lord Sugar, businessman and star of The Apprentice television show, and Terence Blacker, a columnist with the Independent newspaper and Zimmerman's former neighbour in London. |
Zimmerman is also barred from contacting General Sir Mike Jackson, the one-time head of the British Army and David Petraeus, former US Army commander in Iraq and Afghanistan and now director of the CIA. | Zimmerman is also barred from contacting General Sir Mike Jackson, the one-time head of the British Army and David Petraeus, former US Army commander in Iraq and Afghanistan and now director of the CIA. |
At a previous hearing, the court was told Zimmerman emailed Mrs Mensch after she suggested social networking sites could be closed by police during last summer's riots. | At a previous hearing, the court was told Zimmerman emailed Mrs Mensch after she suggested social networking sites could be closed by police during last summer's riots. |
In the email he said the mother-of-three faced "Sophie's choice" - a reference to a novel in which heroine Sophie has to choose between the life of her son or daughter at a Nazi concentration camp. | In the email he said the mother-of-three faced "Sophie's choice" - a reference to a novel in which heroine Sophie has to choose between the life of her son or daughter at a Nazi concentration camp. |
Mrs Mensch called the police and arranged security for her family. | Mrs Mensch called the police and arranged security for her family. |
In a victim impact statement read to the court, Mrs Mensch said: "I was terrified on behalf of my children." | In a victim impact statement read to the court, Mrs Mensch said: "I was terrified on behalf of my children." |
The email was traced to the IP address of Zimmerman's home computer who blamed hackers for sending it. | The email was traced to the IP address of Zimmerman's home computer who blamed hackers for sending it. |
District Judge Martin Brown told Zimmerman that if he breached the restraining order, he could be jailed for up to five years. | |
Zimmerman was also given a four-week sentence for the breach of bail, which he admitted, to run concurrently to the 26-week sentence, and ordered to pay £300 prosecution costs. | Zimmerman was also given a four-week sentence for the breach of bail, which he admitted, to run concurrently to the 26-week sentence, and ordered to pay £300 prosecution costs. |
The district judge said he had decided against banning Zimmerman from using a computer. | The district judge said he had decided against banning Zimmerman from using a computer. |
"It had been my intention to prohibit him from using a computer and I accept the human rights angle and I accept the problems of policing that," he said. | "It had been my intention to prohibit him from using a computer and I accept the human rights angle and I accept the problems of policing that," he said. |