Man jailed for abusive emails to politicians Jess Phillips and Sadiq Khan

A 39-year-old man has been jailed for sending malicious communications to a government minister, the Mayor of London and a senior Met Police officer.

Jack Bennett, of Newlands Park, Seaton, Devon, pleaded guilty to four counts of sending malicious emails; one to Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips, one to Metropolitan police officer Matt Twist, and two counts to Sadiq Khan.

Bennett was also charged with one count of using a public communication network to send offensive emails.

District judge Stuart Smith said the emails were "utterly deplorable, foul, abusive and saturated in hate".

Exeter Magistrates Court heard how during the Covid-19 pandemic Bennett became exposed to right wing propaganda.

Mr Smith said Bennetts "angry, poisonous and hateful rhetoric showed disdain for Muslims and immigrants".

He said the three prominent public figures felt fearful after receiving the emails, especially the Birmingham Yardley MP, Ms Phillips, following the murder of her colleague, MP Jo Cox.

The incidents took place between February 2024 and January 2025.

Bennett pleaded guilty to all five charges and was jailed for 28 weeks.

He was also given a restraining order stopping him from contacting the three public figures for five years.

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