Robert Vidler, from north-west London, made threatening phone calls to the offices of Nicky Morgan MP, Nick Boles MP, Dominic Grieve QC MP, Sir Keir Starmer QC MP, Barry Gardiner MP and Jenny Chapman MP.
Mr Vidler appeared at the City of London Magistrates’ Court on August 2nd, where he denied making the calls, claiming that someone else must have used his telephone.
Philip Stott told the court that all six MPs were considered by Mr Vidler to be anti-Brexit. He had threatened them with being killed - for example that they would be ’strung up’- and said that he knew where they lived, and what their timetable was.
Mr Vidler was found guilty of five charges of harassment and three counts of sending menacing messages. He was sentenced to 18 weeks for each of the eight offences, all to be served concurrently, and ordered to pay £300 costs and a £115 victim surcharge.
Deputy chief magistrate Tan Ikram stated that Mr Vidler had "attempted to stifle [the MPs'] legitimate political views” and tried to undermine "the free democratic society in which we live".
This matter received significant press coverage, please see the BBC, Sky News, The Telegraph and the Independent.
Philip Stott