Cyber bully claimed MP used taxpayer’s money for plastic surgery

A radio listener who sent a series of terrifying emails to a female Labour MP was spared jail today (weds) – exactly five years after Jo Cox’s murder.

Brian Haven, 59, sent a series of chilling messages to Florence Eshalomi, Labour MP for Vauxhall, including one which said: ‘Revenge is a dish best served cold.’

He added: ‘No-one displeases Mr Brian Haven without paying the price.’

Haven continued to harass the 40-year-old politician after she blocked his original email address and told her he had spotted her shopping with her family.

He told police he sent the emails after ‘becoming very angry’ while listening to Mrs Eshalomi on LBC.

The emails were also sent to an unnamed LBC presenter, Private Eye magazine, Labour leader Keir Starmer and the party’s former leader Jeremy Corbyn, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard.

Mrs Eshalomi said in a statement: ‘Upon receiving the first email, I didn’t want to read the whole email, but I was very concerned about the tone and content.

‘This made me fear for my safety. Among the many false claims, claiming that I’m an anti-Semite and used the terms “Jews out, Y*ds out” was among the most offensive.

‘I tried to ignore the emails, but I grew concerned. There were references to my husband and my family.

‘I’m angry that valuable police and court time will be spend on this case. I hope Mr Haven appreciates the impact of these emails and will not contact me again.’

Mrs Eshalomi said the emails made her avoid public transport, carry a personal alarm when outside late at night, and phone her husband when she started travelling home.

Jo Cox, the 41-year-old Labour MP for Batley and Spen in West Yorkshire, was shot and stabbed in her constituency by far-right supporter Thomas Mair, then 53, on June 16, 2016.

Mair was later convicted of murder and handed a whole life sentence at the Old Bailey.

Judge Nicholas Rimmer told Haven: ‘Suffice to say those emails were extremely abusive and insulting, as you recognise.

‘They made reference to Mrs Eshalomi’s physical appearance.

‘They were insulting in what you said, you accused her of fascism, Nazism, made false threats and allegations including amongst other things expenses, made reference to her physical appearance, you mentioned botox along with other products of your imagination.’

Judge Rimmer said the emails were ‘wholly unacceptable’ but that he had shown what appeared to be genuine remorse.

‘Mrs Eshalomi made a victim impact statement making it quite clear to this court that she fears for her safety.

‘She has a unaccompanied commute due to her working routine and now feels compelled to carry an alarm she was issued with because she fears for her safety,’ added the judge.

Long-haired Haven, who appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, wearing a pinstriped jacket, trousers and light trainers, told the judge: ‘I’m really sorry, it is an unconscious problem.’

Earlier, prosecutor Anna Dutka said: ‘The emails are quite lengthy and rambling.

‘They contain attacks on Mrs Eshalomi’s physical appearance, allegations of corruption, and allegations she has used public monies to fund her own cosmetic surgeries.

‘There are also accusations that she is a fascist and a Nazi, accusations that are also made against Keir Starmer, London Mayor Sadiq Khan, and Jeremy Corbyn.

‘There are also accusations of corruption and threats to her political career.

‘Particularly upsetting were threats against her personal safety and threats against her family.

‘These threats included: “No-one displeases Mr Brian Haven without paying the price.” and “Revenge is a dish best served cold.”

‘He claims he saw her “buying up vast amounts of groceries to feed your fat on-the-take face and your greedy husband.”

Mrs Eshalomi blocked Haven’s email address after the fifth email was sent on 19 December 2020, but he sent a sixth abusive email on 1 February 2021 from a second email address.

During a police interview on 22 February this year Haven accepted he owned both email addresses and had sent the emails, dating back to 15 December 2020.

Kathleen Joyce, for Haven, said: ‘He is very sorry and that message should go back to the victim, he regrets what he said and all of his claims were false, incorrect, and offensive.’

Judge Rimmer, who referred to Haven’s conduct as ‘disturbing behaviour’, sentenced him to eight weeks jail, suspended for 18 months with a 35 day rehabilitation requirement and 100 hours of unpaid work.

In that period, Raven will be banned from contacting Mrs Eshalomi or posting about her on social media, in addition to a five-year restraining order which was issued.

The judge also ordered him to pay £50 in compensation, a £128 victim surcharge and £85 in costs.