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Holocaust denier Alison Chabloz loses appeal as court upholds conviction

By
February 13, 2019
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Campaign Against Antisemitism heralds ‘the first conviction in the UK over Holocaust denial’ after antisemite loses case

An antisemitic blogger who posted grossly offensive songs online calling Auschwitz a “theme park” and denying the Holocaust, Alison Chabloz, has lost the appeal against her conviction.

Alison Chabloz, 55, claimed Anne Frank’s diary was faked and said lyrics such as Auschwitz holy temple is a theme park just for fools,” were created out of love for the Jewish people.

Chabloz said she wanted to free Jews “from this atrocity propaganda.”

She was convicted of three counts of sending by a public communications network an offensive, indecent or menacing message or material after a trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court last May.

Today judge Christopher Hehir upheld the convictions and said: “She is a Holocaust denier.”

“She is manifestly antisemitic and utterly obsessed with what she perceives to be the wrongdoing of the Jews and their disproportionate influence in politics, the media and banking in particular.

“She appears to us quite simply to have lost all sense of perspective.’

Referring to one of the songs, entitled ‘I Like The Story As It Is – Satire’, the judge said: “It blames Jews for their suffering and brands them as thieves, liars and usurpers.

“That is woven into sickening Holocaust related references to shrunken heads, soap, lampshades and smoke coming from crematorium chimneys.”

Gideon Falter, Chairman of Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “This is the first conviction in the UK over Holocaust denial on social media”

He said Chabloz’s “actions defending the Nazis and claiming that the Holocaust was a fraud seek to defile” the sacrifice of those who fought in the Second World War.

“This sentence sends a strong message that in Britain, Holocaust denial and antisemitic conspiracy theories will not be tolerated.”

“Alison Chabloz is a remorseless and repulsive antisemite who has spent years obsessively inciting others to hate Jews, principally by claiming that the Holocaust was a hoax perpetrated by Jews to defraud the world.

“Other antisemites who believe that they can abuse the Jewish community online with impunity should take note.”

The judge sitting with magistrates at Southwark Crown Court added: “We unhesitatingly reject the appellant’s evidence that this song was at least in part motivated by a benevolent desire to free Jewish people from the shackles of “atrocity propaganda” about the Holocaust.

“We are sure that she wrote and performed it because she hates Jews.

“What is particularly repellent is that the song is sung in a spiteful parody of a Yiddish or similar accent, and is set to the tune of a celebrated Hebrew song, Hava Nagila.”

Referring to another song, (((Survivors))), judge Hehir said: “We consider that it is by no means excessive to describe this song as disgusting.

“It makes tasteless references to a number of identifiable Holocaust victims or survivors.

“It’s currency includes jovial reference to Dr Josef Mengele, the Auschwitz physician notorious for his sadistic experiments on Jewish and other children, to the bodies of babies being burnt and to the death, in a concentration camp, of one particular child Anne Frank.

“Shortly after seeking to extract humor from her death, the suggestion that her celebrated diary was not actually her work, and the supposed financial wrongdoings of her father and the charity established in her name, the song moves on to a denunciation of bankers and warmongers.

“A central theme of this song is that the Jews exploit the Holocaust for financial gain.

“We therefore affirm the appellant’s convictions on all three charges,” concluded the judge.

Earlier James Mulholland, QC, for the Crown, said proper academic discussion of history was protected under European Convention of Human Rights but Chabloz’s songs could not be considered reasoned criticism.

“Being a poor historian, a one-sided or one-eyed historian is not an offence,” explained the barrister.

Judge Hehir agreed, saying: “Of course Holocaust denial is not a crime in this jurisdiction.”

Mr Mulholland replied: “It is the manner in which that is done or whether or not it is proper analysis.”

He said speech likely to threaten justice, peace and non-discrimination was not covered by Article 10 (of the ECHR).

“This jurisdiction recognised formally that war crimes were committed by the Nazis in World War Two.

“If something is grossly offensive, simply describing it as satire cannot obscure that or obviate it. The assertion that Auschwitz is a “holy temple” is a deliberate attack.”

Adrian Davies, for Chabloz, said the original prosecution had been as strange one given that Chabloz was charged with embedding a link on her blog to recordings of her songs that had been uploaded by someone else.

“The whole thrust of the charge against her is that by merely pointing out that this song had already been published to YouTube, she is mens rea.”

Mr Davies argued that those who chose to view the videos would be at “either end of the spectrum,”

“Someone looking for material with a view to prosecution can be taken to know what kind of material they are going to find. Those gathering the evidence represent the other end of the spectrum of opinion.

“The prospect of some random person accessing it would be minimal given the amount of content on YouTube.”

Mr Davies added: “She obviously feels very passionately about the subject.

“It would be a very, very strong thing to say that a criminal penalty should be imposed on someone for singing in polemical terms about matters for which she feels so strongly, especially given the very limited nature of the subject of the charges against her.

“However offensive Mrs Chabloz’s lyrics might have been to some, they do not cross the line into grossly offensive and she ought, on that account, be acquitted.

“There is a very high hurdle to be jumped to show that she has gone beyond what she is entitled do.”

Chabloz told the court: “My songs are not a product of hate, they are a product of love, trying to free them from this atrocity propaganda.”

Mr Mulholland asked: “Do you believe that Jews, as a group, are more likely to lie?”

Chabloz replied: “In their holy scripture, the Talmud, it is even encouraged. In the Talmud there are verses that say Jews who lie are following their religious duties.

“These are song lyrics, these are not a PhD thesis – they are silly songs.”

Mr Mulholland replied: “They are silly songs? They are songs designed to abuse.”

Chabloz replied: “These are songs that nobody was obliged to listen to.”

She insisted that she was not a member of the far-right, claiming that she was pro-Palestinian and a “Holocaust revisionist.”

In one of the songs, the ex-music teacher sings about the ‘Holohoax’ before asking: “Did the Holocaust even happen, was it just a bunch of lies?”

Mr Mulholland questioned her on the subject of ethnicity, asking: “Is it fair to say that you take the view that this country, being British, belongs to the whites?”

“Um, I take the view that Europe is a civilization and white Europeans have the right to fight to defend their civilization and their culture.”

“Do you consider Jewish people to be white?” asked the QC.

“Some of them certainly look white,” replied Chabloz, “I don’t consider Jews to be a race.”

Chabloz, of Charlesworth, Glossop, Derbyshire, denied but was convicted of three counts of sending by a public communications network an offensive, indecent or menacing message or material.

She was sentenced to 20 weeks imprisonment suspended for two years and banned from posting on social media for a year.

Judge Hehir upheld the convictions on all three counts.

Jewish Times

Suspended sentence after racist attack in Breightmet

By
December 15, 2018
Uncategorized

A MOTHER and her son were injured during a racially aggravated attack in Breightmet earlier this year, which resulted in one of the victims needing brain surgery.

Dale Hart outside Bolton Crown Court

The pair had been walking to a bus stop on their way to church, the 15-year-old son, Ray Nhial, had run ahead to make sure they caught the bus and ran past Dale Hart, who was walking in the opposite direction with his partner and child in a pram.

Bolton Crown Court heard how Hart thought Ray had hit or nudged the pram running past and said “watch where you’re going” or words to that effect.

A scuffle ensued the court was told by Colin Buckle, prosecuting, and Hart punched Ray. In the course of the scuffle Ray’s mother, Nyawig Mantywil Wor may have been struck as well.

Hart admitted in his plea that he had hurled racist abuse at the family.

The court was shown CCTV footage of the incident which happened in Padbury Way, Breightmet on Sunday, June 3 at about 2pm.

From the CCTV it was clear said The Honorary Recorder of Bolton, Judge Martin Walsh that “there was no contact between Ray and the pram.”

Judge Walsh said: “You challenged him and after a verbal exchange, attacked him and punched him to the face.”

He added that: “It is apparent from the footage that you were the aggressor.”

The CCTV shows Mrs Wor stepping in to break the pair up, Judge Walsh said: “It is clear her actions were not aggressive but were designed and intended to bring an end to the scuffle… As the incident was being brought to an end you shouted racist abuse towards Ray Nhial and his family.”

Rosalind Scott Bell, defending, told the court: “He has to and did accept that in the heat of the moment he used language that was deeply offensive and he recognises such language is utterly inappropriate and he is contrite.

“The only matter Mr Hart was really concerned I conveyed was an apology to Mrs Wor and Ray themselves.”

Mrs Scott Bell told the court that Hart had been living in Glasgow with family for six months “for his own protection” and had been unable to return home in the last two weeks before sentencing because of concerning social media posts.

Mrs Scott Bell added: “He did accept he was the aggressor and they were his words.”

Following the incident the family got on the 561 First Bus and it drove away, however Mrs Wor became dizzy on the bus and got off to sit at another bus stop where she collapsed and was drifting in and out of consciousness.

Police officers and paramedics attended her and she was taken to Royal Bolton Hospital. There after a CT Scan it was discovered she hat a two brain bleeds and her brain had shifted inside her skull, requiring emergency surgery to relieve the pressure.

Mr Buckle told the court Mrs Wor was at a greater risk of brain bleeds because of a medical condition.

Yesterday the offender, Hart, aged 29, of Grantchester Way, Breightmet received a 12 month sentence, suspended for two years for affray and racially aggravated assault.

He must also complete 30 days of rehabilitation and carry out 180 hours unpaid work.

Bolton News

Redruth taxi driver racially abused and attacked after snowball fight

By
November 22, 2018
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Kane Christopher Powell punched and racially abused Mohammed Shah in an attack described by a judge as ‘despicable’

A drunken 20-year-old man racially abused and attacked a taxi driver who had been enjoying a snowball fight.

The attack happened back in March and Kane Christopher Powell at first pretended he was joining in the wintry fun.

But a court heard Powell, of Higher Fore Street, Reduth, became violent and – backed by another man – attacked the taxi driver and called him a ‘paki’.

The two attackers then chased him down the street and tried to force their way into a house where the taxi driver had sought shelter. They smashed the front door while those inside tried to hold it closed.

Powell appeared at Truro Crown Court for sentence having previously pleaded guilty to common assault and racially aggravated threatening behaviour against Mohammed Shah and criminal damage to a door.

Prosecutor Philip Lee said: “It was late at night on March 1. It had been snowing. Mr Shah is a taxi driver and during a break in the evening, he and other drivers were throwing snow at each other.

“This defendant approached, initially seeming to join in and feigning joviality. ‘I am only joking,’ he said but soon became aggressive. He punched Mr Shah three times in the chest and then another person became involved, a Mr Webb, the absent co-defendant in this case who is wanted on a warrant.”

He said Mr Shah pushed Powell away and started to walk away. He added: “This defendant ran up behind him and punched him once to the face, causing him to fall to the ground with a cut to his lip.”

Mr Shah retreated to seek help from an Indian restaurant in Higher Fore Street but was followed by Powell and Webb.

Mr Lee said Powell was heard shouting ‘pakis’ and said: “Mr Powell accused Mr Shah of doing something sexual with his sister. There is no substance to that allegation, the crown says.”

He said Mr Shah was taken inside the house of the restaurant manager, Sultan Ahmed, but Powell and Webb began shouting and kicking forcibly at the door.

“At one point they forced the door open while the others behind where pinning the door closed. A further assault by the other man took place before both walked away,” he said.

He said Powell was later arrested and said to police: “Yeah, I banged him out, so what?”

The court heard from the Probation Service that Powell was drunk at the time and admitted he was suffering from an alcohol problem. He said that since March he had taken steps to address this problem.

Powell had moved to Cornwall from London at the age of 15, when his mother, who has alcohol issues, refused to pay for his return train ticket. The court heard he had been to school and college and now worked a carer for an autistic friend who he had met while they were both homeless on the streets.

Hollie Gilbery, representing Powell, said he had only a patchy memory of the evening, adding: “He cannot recall using the language described and he was quite shocked at using that language, but does not seek to deny the evidence of the police officers.”

She added that Powell himself had been the victim of a serious assault involving the use of baseball bats the previous summer.

Addressing Powell, Judge Simon Carr said: “As I hope you’ve learned and are prepared to accept, your behaviour that night was despicable. You had been drinking heavily with a group of young men who had also been drinking.”

He said they targeted Mr Shah, adding: “For reasons, in truth only you will be able to understand, you became verbally abusive and violent, assaulting him and punching him a number of times.”

He said Mr Shah and the other men sheltering in the house must have been terrified to have them battering down the door.

Judge Carr said it was unacceptable that the prosecution had taken so long for the case to come to court. He warned that if he had been sentencing Powell sooner, he would have sent him to prison. However, he acknowledged that Powell had taken positive steps since March to turn his life around.

Powell was handed an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

He was also made the subject of a curfew at home between 7pm and 7am for six months and must do 15 days’ work with the Probation Service on a range of programmes looking at a range of issues such as behaviour, impact on victims and substance misuse.

Powell was also ordered to pay £500 compensation to Mr Shah.

Cornwall Live

Redruth man beat Pakistani victim and shouted racial abuse

By
November 22, 2018
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Kane Powell admitted assaulting his victim and shouting racial abuse

A Redruth man has admitted assaulting a victim of Pakistani origin and behaving in a threatening and racially aggravated manner.

Kane Powell, of Higher Fore Street, appeared at Truro Crown Court on Friday (November 16) for a plea hearing.

Powell, 20, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault, and another of causing racially aggravated fear/provocation of violence. He also admitted to being in possession of a lock knife in a public place.

The court heard that Powell assaulted his victim, Mohammed Shah, in Redruth on March 1.

Philip Lee, for the prosecution, told the court that the racially aggravated element of the offence came as a result of Powell approaching the door of a residential property belonging to Sultan Ahmed and repeatedly banging and kicking the door, while shouting racial abuse.

Judge James Townsend told Powell that he will be sentenced at Truro Crown Court on Tuesday (November 20).

Judge Townsend asked for a pre-sentence report to be prepared by the probation service to enable Tuesday’s sitting judge to understand the background behind Powell’s crimes.

In the meantime Powell was granted unconditional bail.

Cornwall Live

Dad escapes jail term after battering son with a baseball bat and threatening him with a machete

By
September 14, 2018
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Mark Grogan had been drinking and admitted giving son a “good hiding”

A father has been given a suspended jail sentence after he assaulted his son with a baseball bat and threatened him with a machete.

Leeds Crown Court heard Mark Grogan had been out earlier drinking with his son Alex without any problem on January 15.

His son and a friend had returned with Grogan to his flat in Dewsbury where the drinking continued until the early hours. After the friend left both men fell asleep.

Bashir Ahmed, prosecuting, said the problems began when Grogan woke up and realised two treasured air rifles had gone and blamed his son or the son’s friend.

That led to an argument which culminated in Grogan pinning his son against a wall. He managed to get free and said he was leaving.

He had brought his dog with him and put it on the lead but as they were going Grogan partly shut the door trapping the dog’s paw. His son told him to leave the dog alone but Grogan then picked up the baseball bat and began to hit his son with it in the hall.

“At one point he hit him on the left leg causing him to fall over in pain,” said Mr Ahmed. He was also shouting: “I’m going to sort you out good and proper.”

His victim was struck again until he was crying and crawling on the floor towards the door only to be dragged back by Grogan.

He only managed to get away when his father went into the living room and as he got out saw Grogan was behind him waving a machete shouting: “When I get my hands on you I’m going to kill you.”

Alex Grogan, 20 at the time, managed to ring a relative for help and the police. When his father was arrested and interviewed he accepted giving his son “a good hiding, I just flipped.” He said if he had been sober it would never have happened.

Anastasis Tassou, representing Grogan, said his client had been drinking and he was upset about the air rifles but accepted he should have handled things differently. It was an isolated incident but the result had been a split in the family.

Grogan, 45 of Alexandra Crescent, Dewsbury, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and threatening with an offensive weapon. He was given a total of 21 months in prison suspended for two years with 175 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £300 compensation to his son.

Judge Mushtaq Khokhar said it was only his good fortune his son had not suffered even more serious injuries. But if Grogan was jailed immediately and lost his flat and job as a result it could only cause more problems.
Huddersfield Examiner

From 2016

Racist spared jail

By
August 3, 2018
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A MAN who made his Asian next door neighbours’ lives a misery with his anti-social and racist conduct was spared immediate jail.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Nigel Hesmondhalgh, 36, who had a British National Party sticker in the window of his Accrington home, was abusive and insulting to the couple, repeatedly picking on the wife. He piled dog dirt up in the alley outside their home and told them:”It’s a white country, not a Muslim state.”

Hesmondhalgh, said to be the carer for his brother, who has learning difficulties, told the husband of the couple he should be scared and shouted support for the BNP. The couple had lived in their home for 14 years before he moved in.

The defendant, who has since moved, but wants to go back to the property on Higher Antley Street, had earlier admitted racially aggravated intentional harassment, alarm or distress. Hesmondhalgh, who has almost 90 previous convictions, had struck whilst on bail for similar allegations which were left to lie on file.

He kept his freedom, but his hostile and anti-social conduct was slammed by a judge, who warned the courts would not tolerate it.

Judge Philip Butler said Hesmondhalgh did not get on well with people who dared to interfere with his behaviour. He said had the neighbour been a white Irish woman, the defendant would no doubt have found some offensive and derogatory adjective to aim at her.

The judge told Hesmondhalgh: “You were the immigrant in that street, not her. You would be well advised not to go back there.”

Judge Butler added:”If you thought more about your brother you would perhaps reign in your mouth for a start.”

The defendant, of Stanley Street, Accrington, was given 36 weeks in custody, suspended for two years, with 18 months supervision and the Thinking Skills programme.

Manchester Evening News

From 2009

Cantwell Enters Plea Deal on Charges of Assault and Battery

By
July 20, 2018
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A New Hampshire man charged in connection to a white nationalist march at the University of Virginia last year is entering a plea deal with the commonwealth.

Albemarle Circuit Court was expected Friday, July 20 to only take up a motion to revoke or modify bond for Christopher Charles Cantwell. However, the Radical Agenda radio host decided to entered a plea agreement to two counts of assault and battery.

Cantwell was facing two felony counts of illegal use of tear gas, which stemmed from clashes between white nationalists and those protesting them around the UVA Rotunda on August 11, 2017. Jason Eric Kessler had listed Cantwell as one of the speakers at his Unite the Right rally, which was to take place the next day at then-Emancipation Park.

The commonwealth said Friday that it had found photographic evidence of Cantwell deploying pepper spray directly into a counter protester’s face. A second counter protester was indirectly hit by that pepper spray.

The judge also found Cantwell in violation of his bond agreement, which specified he was not allowed to talk about or reference the victims on social media or on the radio. The victims – Emily Gorcenski and Kristopher Goad – filed a federal lawsuit against Cantwell back in February, after he filed a similar lawsuit in January.

“What he [Cantwell] did was criminal. That was an important part of this case. Having it solved the way it was is consistent with the wishes of the victims in this case,” said Albemarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney Robert Tracci.

Cantwell had been scheduled for a five-day jury trial, which was to begin on August 13th. Per Friday’s plea agreement, he is also now barred from Virginia for the next 5 years, is not is allowed to possess a gun while in the commonwealth, is not to have contact with the victims, and was fined $250.

A hearing over the two federal lawsuits between Cantwell, Gorcenski & Goad has yet to be set.
07/20/2018 Release from the Office of Albemarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney:

Earlier today, Christopher Cantwell entered a plea of guilty to two counts of assault and battery stemming from his dispersal of pepper spray near the UVA Rotunda on August 11, 2017.

According to the terms of the plea agreement entered in Albemarle Circuit Court, Mr. Cantwell is required to:

Leave the commonwealth within eight hours;
Not return to the commonwealth for five years;
Not possess a firearm in the commonwealth;
Have no indict or indirect contact with the victims in this case.

Mr. Cantwell was sentenced to two terms of twelve (12) months, with all but 7 months suspended, to run concurrently.

The defendant received 107 days credit for jail time he has served relating to this case.

The defendant also pleaded guilty to violating the modified terms of his bond by making direct and indirect reference to the victims in this case on social media and in a radio broadcast. The court imposed a $250 fine for this violation.

The commonwealth agreed to amend charges to those to which the Mr. Cantwell entered a plea of guilty, and to bring no additional charges arising directly from the defendant’s deployment of pepper spray, tear gas, phosgene, or other gas, on August 11, 2017 if he does not violate the terms of the agreement entered by the Albemarle Circuit Court.

Albemarle Commonwealth’s Attorney Robert Tracci stated:

“This agreement reflects the defendant’s acceptance of criminal responsibility for his dispersal of pepper spray on August 11, 2017. The defendant must leave the commonwealth before the end of today, is prohibited from re-entering the commonwealth for five years, and is prohibited from direct or indirect contact with victims in this case during the period of good behavior. This outcome brings a measure of finality to the defendant’s dispersal of pepper spray nearly a year ago. This agreement was supported by the victims in this case, who have been consulted at each stage of the criminal process. Finally, this agreement does not foreclose additional potential criminal prosecution of conduct arising from the events of August 11th of last year.”

NBC

Alison Chabloz avoids jail over anti-Semitic songs

By
June 14, 2018
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A blogger who was found guilty of broadcasting anti-Semitic songs on YouTube has been given a two-year suspended prison sentence.

Alison Chabloz, 54, from Glossop, Derbyshire, wrote and performed three songs about Nazi persecution, including one about the young diarist Anne Frank.

Chabloz claimed the Holocaust was “a bunch of lies” and referred to Auschwitz as a “theme park”.

She has also been banned from posting anything on social media for 12 months.

Alison Chabloz claimed the prosecution was an attempt to limit her free speech

A blogger who was found guilty of broadcasting anti-Semitic songs on YouTube has been given a two-year suspended prison sentence.

Alison Chabloz, 54, from Glossop, Derbyshire, wrote and performed three songs about Nazi persecution, including one about the young diarist Anne Frank.

Chabloz claimed the Holocaust was “a bunch of lies” and referred to Auschwitz as a “theme park”.

She has also been banned from posting anything on social media for 12 months.

Chabloz was convicted of two counts of sending an offensive, indecent or menacing message through a public communications network and a third charge relating to a song on YouTube.

She was sentenced to 20 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for two years.

The Campaign Against Anti-Semitism initially brought a private prosecution against Chabloz, before the Crown Prosecution Service took over.

Gideon Falter, chairman of the campaign group, described Chabloz as a “remorseless and repulsive anti-Semite” after the case.

He said the sentence sent a strong message that Holocaust denial and anti-Semitic conspiracy theories will not be tolerated.

Alison Chabloz previously told the court she wanted to put across her "political, artistic, creative point"

Alison Chabloz previously told the court she wanted to put across her “political, artistic, creative point”

Chabloz, who describes herself as a Holocaust revisionist, said her music was “satire” and had previously told the court there was “no proof” gas chambers were used to kill Jewish people in World War Two.

However, prosecutors said three of Chabloz’s songs, including one which referred to the notorious Nazi death camp Auschwitz as a “theme park”, were criminally offensive.

Sentencing Chabloz at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, district judge John Zani said she had shown “no proper remorse” for her actions.

He said: “I don’t know whether you want to be a martyr to your purported cause – time will tell.”

Chabloz was cheered by supporters as she walked from the dock.

Along with the suspended sentence and social media ban, she will also have to complete 180 hours of unpaid work

BBC News

Man admits sending racist and abusive emails to MPs

By
June 4, 2018
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Ukip supporter Hall sent the emails in the wake of a Brexit debate in parliament

Ukip supporter Hall sent the emails in the wake of a Brexit debate in parliament

A man sent racist and threatening emails to six MPs, including one which urged David Lammy to “remember what happened to Jo Cox”.

David William Hall, 72, of Wolverhampton admitted six counts of sending grossly offensive messages.

Emails were also sent to MPs Dominic Grieve, Anna Soubry, Nicky Morgan and Heidi Allen.

Hall, who also sent a email to Eleanor Smith calling for her to be put on a “banana boat”, will be sentenced later.

Former education secretary Ms Morgan said the “threats of violence or death” crossed a line.

‘Burn in hell’

Ukip supporter Hall sent the emails last December, in the wake of a Brexit debate in parliament, the court heard.

One email, littered with capital letters and exclamation marks, was sent by Hall to four of the MPs after a parliamentary vote on an amendment to the EU Withdrawal Bill.

It had in the subject line: “Your back stabbing treachery” and read: “You deserve to be HUNG for your attack on our democracy yesterday.”

The email concluded, in capitals: “May you burn in hell for eternity.”

Prosecutor Matthew Brook said an email to Wolverhampton MP Eleanor Smith was sent after she made comments about the Black Country flag.

Mr Lammy and Ms Morgan attended court to give evidence against Hall when he entered his guilty pleas.

Speaking outside court Ms Morgan, Conservative MP for Loughborough, said: “MPs are of course subject to robust debate and scrutiny, which is what we should be.

“When things tip over into threats of violence or death, then I think a line has been crossed.”

BBC News