Court hearing for Runcorn and Helsby MP Mike Amesbury moved

A court hearing for MP Mike Amesbury has been moved from December to January next year.

Amesbury, who represents Runcorn and Helsby, was scheduled to appear at Chester Magistrates’ Court on 30 December charged with assault.

The charge relates to an alleged attack on a 45-year-old man in Main Street in Frodsham, Cheshire, which was reported to officers in the early hours of 26 October.

Cheshire Police said on Thursday 14 November that Mr Amesbury will now appear before the same court on 16 January 2025.

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.

The 55-year-old has been summonsed to court to face a charge of section 39 assault after a file was passed to prosecutors on October 29.

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

In a previous statement, 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.”