Message was 'death threat' for Workington MP Mark Jenkinson and staff

During one of two rambling phone messages, 54-year-old Andrew Blundell compared a Conservative Party leaflet delivered to his Eden Valley home to Adolf Hitler’s political manifesto Mein Kampf.

He also told staff at the MP’s office he carried an axe in his van before threatening the person who delivered the leaflet, adding: “I hope you all die.”

The defendant, of Cliburn, near Penrith, admitted a Malicious Communications Act offence which involved a message intended to cause distress or anxiety.

At Carlisle’s Rickergate court, prosecutor Glenn Anderton outlined the facts of the offence, committed by Blundell on August 14.

He said that the defendant left the first of two offensive voicemail messages for the MP and his staff at 9pm, when everybody had left Mr Jenkinson's local office for the day. It and a subseqent message left by Blundell lasted almost ten minutes.

“He left an extremely abusive and threatening voicemail message,” said the lawyer.

The message included personal insults aimed at Mr Jenkinson, as well as a threatening reference to the people who delivered the Conservative Party leaflet which came through the defendant's letter box earlier in the day.

The threat was accompanied by Blundell commenting that he carried axes in his van.

A female worker at the MP’s office who heard the voicemails was alarmed, and concerned for her safety and the safety of her colleagues, said Mr Anderton. Blundell concluded his message by including his name and contact details.

The prosecutor outlined the defendant’s response when quizzed by the police. “He said he was drunk and going through a bad patch,” said Mr Anderton. 

“He said a Conservative Party leaflet had been put through his door but he was extremely unhappy with the Conservative Party. He made some abusive comments in relation to them and the MP.

“But he said he said he didn’t think it was something they hadn’t heard before.”

The defendant agreed that his message was uncceptable, but said he regarded the MP as 'horrible'. He carried axes in his van for work purposes, he said.

Blundell explained that he used axes to replicate old beams in houses. The court heard that he also made insulting comments about Labour leader Keir Starmer. Mr Anderton added: “In his interview, he said he was really drunk.”

The defendant has no previous convictions, though he was cautioned for an identical offence in June 2020, the court heard.

Jeff Smith, defending, said Blundell was a man 'of great talent', who had worked for around 30 years restoring old furniture and buildings. His initial contact with Mr Jenkinson happened when the MP emailed him to canvass his views on training.

Keen for others to follow in his professional footsteps, the defendant had replied but had not received a response from the MP or his staff, said Mr Smith. The lawyer added of Blundell: “He was having a really hard time and struggling to avoid alcohol.

Before committing the offence, the defendant broke his own rule of being abstinent and consumed a 'significant amount' of alcohol, said Mr Smith. “He then made the telephone calls described to the court,” said the lawyer.

Afterwards, he could not remember what he said. Mr Smith added that Blundell had responded inappropriately when he failed to get a response from Mr Jenkinson.

The lead magistrate told the defendant: “We have heard everything and because of the threats of violence and because of the death threat, and because of the history of death threats to MPs, we are taking this very seriously.

“It’s more serious for those reasons.

“Some of the verbal abuse at the beginning of the telephone message might have resulted in a simple fine. But when you added the death threats, and it was aggravated by your being drunk, that is not an excuse.”

Magistrates said they wanted a pre-sentence report before passing sentence. The presiding magistrate added: “The courts do take very seriously death threats to people who are serving the public.”

Blundell, who was granted bail, will be sentenced on October 10.

After the hearing, Mr Jenkinson said: “Serving as a Member of Parliament is great privilege and honour: it provides an opportunity to help people and make real and meaningful change in a community.

"This is what I have always strived to do – and it is why I got into politics in the first place.

“However, there is another side to a life of public service – and I am deeply concerned that ugly incidents like this will discourage others with something positive to contribute from putting themselves forward to make a difference.

“I am pleased to say that things like this are fortunately very rare and those who think this behaviour is acceptable are very definitely in a minority.

"There is a clear line between robust criticism of those in public life, and something more sinister. I believe that all those who chose to serve their community should be able to do so without being threatened.”