Army veteran left Tory MP fearing for her safety in fly-tip row

A Tory MP was left fearing for her safety after receiving threatening messages from an army veteran furious about the failure to deal with fly tipping in his community, a court heard today.

Steven Parkins, 49, sent a foul-mouthed video message to his local MP Holly Mumby-Croft, stressed his military background and in one email warned her he was 'trained to be the best' and added 'push me I wouldn't.' The Scunthorpe MP said she felt 'sick to her stomach' after watching the seven-minute video sent through Facebook that was aggressive in tone and filled with expletives directed at her, Grimsby Magistrates Court was told.

In a statement the former MP, who lost her seat in the general election, said the messages from Parkins left her 'frightened, losing sleep and worried for my safety.' She had to be accompanied by a protection officer to a public armed forces event that Parkins also attended while on bail and showed her family photos of him in case he came to her door, the court heard.

Parkins was originally charged with stalking that put her in fear of violence.

However, the Crown accepted his guilty plea to an alternative charge of sending an electronic communication that was grossly offensive, indecent or obscene in character.

District Judge Tan Ikram adjourned sentencing for report but warned Parkins, who has a long criminal history of violence and making threats, that despite the prison overcrowding problem he could be jailed. 'I take a very serious view of this case,' he said.

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He said social media 'seems to be a platform for something of a free for all in terms of abuse and threats.' Mr Ikram said 'public servants have a difficult job to do' but they 'may be thinking twice about whether they would take on these roles because of threats and acts of violence against them.' Prosecutor Dan Lee said: 'Holding politicians to account was important in a democratic society.' But he said the messages from Parkins went 'above and beyond that.' 'They were abusive, grossly offensive and against the law,' he said.

The emails and video were sent to Ms Mumby-Croft, 39, in April this year when she was still an MP and focused on the problem of fly tipping in the Crosby area of Scunthorpe where he lived.

Mr Lee said one message from Parkins said the MP 'should do well to remember' he was a 'very pissed off veteran.' The court heard the MP sent Parkins a 'polite and courteous reply' in which she told her constituent clearing litter was a matter for the council, but did offer to help with the issue.

Parkins responded with a seven-minute video in which he commented on Ms Mumby-Croft's email point by point, using the f-word on numerous occasions and directing personal abuse at her, the court heard.

He told her to 'stop making excuses' and 'taking the ****' and was highly abusive.

Ms Mumby-Croft only went to police after Parkins sent a follow-up email in which he said that in the army 'we are trained to be the best' and that he was 'very much able and capable, so push me I wouldn't.' Parkins was arrested but said the video had been taken out of context and was meant to be witty,' said Mr Lee.

Ian Durant, mitigating, said Parkins had acted from 'sheer frustration at the state of his community.' He said Parkins had been clearing up litter himself and 'fighting what he sees as a blight on his community.' The video message was an 'absolute rant about what he saw as the intransigence of those in authority.' The court heard Parkins had 14 previous convictions for 24 offences dating back to 1995. They included cannabis possession, assault, affray, threatening and abusive behaviour, battery and criminal damage.

In her statement the MP said his messages caused her 'upset, concern and anxiety' and 'continued to be on my mind.' She said it would play a part in her decision on whether to run for elected office again. Ms Mumby-Croft lost her seat to the Labour candidate at the election in July.

Parkins apologised to the MP who was sat in the courtroom. He told her: 'I would like to apologise for my behaviour. It was downright rudeness I showed you. That was not gentlemanly conduct, it was inexcusable.'