Friday, March 09, 2012

Eric Joyce: Spared Jail

Eric Joyce (Labour MP)

Labour MP Eric Joyce was today spared jail after pleading guilty to four counts of assault following his brawl in a House of Commons bar last month but refused to step down from Parliament.

However the shamed MP has been fined £3,000 and ordered to pay £1,400 to victims at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

He has also been given a twelve-month community order - which includes banning him from entering pubs and licensed premises for three months - and the court also gave him a curfew order from Friday to Sunday.

In a statement after sentencing, Joyce said he was 'lucky' to avoid prison, but said he did not intend to stand down as an MP before the next election.

The 51-year-old was charged with assaulting Tory MP Stuart Andrew following a row in the Strangers Bar on February 22.

He appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court this morning and entered guilty pleas to three charges of common assault and one of assault by beating.

Joyce admitted assaulting four people during the attack. Wearing a black suit, white shirt and blue tie, he entered the four guilty pleas in a clear voice.

The court heard Joyce first attacked MP Stuart Andrew, before lashing out at political aides Luke Mackenzie and Ben Maney and then Labour Whip Phillip Wilson.

Joyce - who had been drinking with friends at a table in the bar - flew into a rage when Mr Andrews said: 'You do not treat an MP like that in a place like this.'

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

some thick skinned conmen just dont know when to stop,how can he keep his job as an mp,honor,rabble slink.