A PENSIONER who sent a ‘racist and misogynistic’ email to an MP has been handed a suspended prison sentence.

Stephen Brotherton, of Falstone Close in Gorse Covert, used the offensive language in a message sent to Brent Central member Dawn Butler.

The email was sent in June last year, and criticised Ms Butler’s support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

An assistant in the MP’s office picked up the abusive message, which was then passed onto the police.

The 70-year-old defended admitted sending an offensive message at Warrington Magistrates Court on Tuesday, August 17, and was handed a six-week imprisonment suspended for a year.

Brotherton was also told to pay £85 in court costs and a £128 victim surcharge.

Laura Tipping, district crown prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service in the Mersey Cheshire region, said: “The email sent by Steven Brotherton that day was racist and misogynistic.

“His comments have no place in a civilised society and were grossly offensive.

“He implied that Dawn Butler could not do her job as an MP because she was a woman and because she was black.

“The bar for authorising a charge of this nature is high as it must take into account that everybody has the right to freedom of expression, protected under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

“The wording of the communication must be shown to meet the criteria of the offence before a charge is authorised.

“The CPS took the view that it did meet the criteria and authorised Cheshire Police to charge Mr Brotherton.

“He has now pleaded guilty to that offence and has been sentenced.

“The public should know that they cannot simply send communications that break the law without repercussions.

“Online communications can be traced, and people breaking the law will be brought to justice.”