A Stockport man who threatened to kill a veteran MP in public has walked free from court. Former Labour shadow minister Jack Dromey sadly died before the case against Phillip Dowbekin, 36, was brought to court - but prosecutors were still able to pursue the case.
Manchester Magistrates Court heard that Labour shadow minister Mr Dromey had been working at his London home on November 12, 2020, when a member of his staff informed him about the threatening message sent to his Facebook account. Dowbekin was not known to Mr Dromey.
In the vile message, which was read out in court, Dowbekin said he would kill Mr Dromey 'in public and record it' if he saw the MP in person. In the same message, sent with the subject ' Covid 19 ', Dowbekin also said he would kill if he saw Prime Minister Boris Johnson or then-Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
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Mr Dromey reported the offence to West Midlands Police, which passed the matter to Greater Manchester Police when Dowbekin was traced. He was arrested in Stockport and went on to make no comment in his police interview.
After working closely with police, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) case showed the Facebook message had been sent from an IP address linked to where Dowbekin had been arrested. The CPS says the strength of the evidence meant the case could still proceed following Mr Dromey's death.
Dowbekin, of Bradfield Close, North Reddish, pleaded guilty to the charge of sending a menacing message through the public telecommunication network at an earlier hearing in April. Today (May 31) he was given a 12-month community order with 25 rehabilitation activity days and 100 hours' unpaid work.
Emily Lloyd, district crown prosecutor for CPS North West, said: “Sadly, Mr Dromey passed away before the case concluded, but it is clear from his initial account to the police that he believed the threats made against him were genuine. The CPS were able to continue with the prosecution because a forensic analysis of the data provided sufficient evidence to link the Facebook message to Phillip Dowbekin.
“Everyone has the right to go about their lives without fear of being harassed or threatened. MPs as public servants have a difficult job to do, they are subject to constant public scrutiny.
"This does not mean that they should have to tolerate abuse being directed at them. I hope this case serves as a reminder that the CPS will robustly prosecute those who take to their computers to spread fear and hatred.”
Mr Dromey represented Birmingham Erdington from 2010 until his death on January 7 this year, aged 73. He served as a shadow minister under Ed Miliband, Jeremy Corbyn and Sir Keir Starmer, while he previously served as Labour Party treasurer from 2004 to 2010.
