A Merseyside man sent a racist email to Labour MP Dawn Butler in a "vile" hate crime.
John Fagan, 58, sent the "grossly offensive" message to the politician for Brent Central in London last summer. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) today said the email, sent at 10.20pm on July 13, 2021, was "racist and offensive".
A CPS spokesperson said: "Ms Butler was shocked at the message and at the racist content that she felt was directed at her as she is black. She is prominent in speaking out against discrimination and inequality and said the message made her fear for the safety of her staff and herself."
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The 52-year-old victim reported the email to Metropolitan Police. It was traced to Fagan and the case was transferred to Merseyside Police, who arrested him.
Fagan, of Oriel Road, Bootle, appeared at Sefton Magistrates' Court yesterday, when he pleaded guilty to sending a malicious communication that was grossly offensive. He will be sentenced on May 5 at the same court.
Speaking after the hearing, Crown Prosecutor Jessica Foy, of CPS Mersey Cheshire said: "Members of Parliament perform a difficult and important role, to represent our interests and concerns at Westminster.
"The role can attract criticism and comment, but messages like that sent by John Fagan don't relate to the work of the MP at all. These comments were vile, racist and offensive and criticised her as a person - hate crime at its worst.
"Hate crime very often attacks people for something they can do nothing about, such as their race, sex or sexual orientation. It attacks the very core of the person and that is why it is so offensive.
"The Crown Prosecution Service works with the police to track down the perpetrators of this sort of offending and bring them to justice. John Fagan has taken to his keyboard to spread hate and is facing the consequences."
Ms Butler was forced to close her London constituency office in June 2020 as a result of racist threats made towards her and staff after she spoke out in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, following the murder of George Floyd by a police officer in America.
The MP said her staff were attacked and subjected to insults coming and going from work, while bricks were thrown through her office windows and its frontage smashed.
She also told of receiving dozens of aggressive emails after she dismissed criticism about 137,500 anti-racism activists protesting in UK cities during lockdown. The MP argued that criticising the huge crowds for breaching the ban on mass gatherings and failing to socially distance was a cynical ploy to call the protests off.
Last August, a 70-year-old man from Warrington was handed a suspended prison sentence for sending an offensive email to Ms Butler on June 7, 2020. An assistant in the MP's office picked up the abusive message, which was then passed onto the police.
Stephen Brotherton, of Falstone Close in Gorse Covert, admitted malicious communications. He had used racist and misogynistic language to criticise the MP's involvement in the Black Lives Matters protests.
Brotherton was sentenced to six weeks in prison, suspended for 12 weeks. He was also ordered to pay £85 court costs.
