An ex-councillor has been banned from contacting the House of Commons and the House of Lords as he awaits sentence for sending offensive online messages to a former Cumbrian MP.
Peter Little, 41, appeared at court in Workington last month when he pleaded guilty to one offence.
Little — a former independent member of Allerdale Borough Council — admitted sending a message to Baroness Susan Hayman which, court papers state, was grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character.
Little’s offending is said to have occurred on Friday March 7, when he sent two early morning messages via Facebook Messenger to Baroness Hayman.
Baroness Hayman was the first female to represent a Cumbria constituency, and served as a Labour MP for Workington from 2015 to 2019.
Little, of Grasmere Terrace, Maryport, was due to have received his punishment for the offence at Carlisle Magistrates’ Court earlier today.
His case last month had been adjourned last month for the preparation of a probation service pre-sentence report.
However, district judge Philip Holden heard today that it had not been possible for a probation officer to prepare such a report. Little had attended an interview, said a prosecutor, but then left after only 10 minutes.
The judge gave Little another chance to co-operate with the probation service. “If I were to give you that opportunity, would you sit down with a probation officer and not leave after 10 minutes?” asked district judge Holden.
Little agreed but also said: “I just don’t like disclosing personal information.”
Referring to probation reports in general, the judge said to Little: “They are there to try and help you, and give the court information. The court will be assisted by as much information about you and the potential other sentencing options.”
The sentencing hearing was adjourned and Little is due to return to court on March 16.
In meantime he has been granted bail with a number of strict conditions attached.
Little must not send letters, emails or any form of communications to the House of Commons or House of Lords; he must not post anything on social media which is deemed as inciting political violence; and must not contact Baroness Hayman in any way.
- In October, 2021, Little was jailed for sending a grossly offensive and threatening email to Allerdale Borough Council’s chief executive. This was threatening to the chief executive and also Workington’s MP at that time, Mark Jenkinson.
- Earlier in 2021, Little had been given a suspended prison sentence after he admitted two other charges of threatening behaviour. He had verbally abused and threatened neighbours over a parking dispute, and gave homophobic abuse to female police officers.
