Court date set for Mike Amesbury MP accused of assault

A North West MP will appear in court next month charged with assault. Mike Amesbury, MP for Runcorn and Helsby, is due to appear at Chester Magistrates' Court on December 30, police have said.

The former Manchester councillor, 55, is accused of section 39 assault after a file was passed to prosecutors on October 29.

The charge relates to an alleged attack on a 45-year-old man in Main Street in Frodsham, Cheshire, in the early hours of October 26. Police previously confirmed the incident had been reported that same day.

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Mr Amesbury was suspended from the Labour Party after footage emerged last month which appeared to show him punching a man. He now sits in Parliament as an Independent.

Mr Amesbury said he is “continuing to co-operate” with police following the “deeply regrettable” incident.

In a statement on Thursday, he said: “I have today been summonsed to court to face a charge of common assault following an incident in Frodsham last month, which was deeply regrettable. I am continuing to co-operate with police and given this is an ongoing case I cannot comment further.”