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A man admitted sending sickening death threats to Wallasey MP Angela Eagle in an email written “on a whim”.

Steven King, 45, pleaded guilty to a charge of sending a grossly offensive, indecent, obscene or menacing message by a public communications network.

Wirral Magistrates Court heard shop worker King told police he was “venting his anger” and would never have acted on any of the threats he made.

King, of Mirin Wynd, Paisley, Scotland, sent the email from his mobile phone while getting ready for work on July 12 - the day after Ms Eagle formally announced her bid to oust Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader.

His email, which was littered with poor grammar and spelling mistakes, read: “If! You become the leader of the Labour Party you will split and make Labour lose but also will too have time too enjoy it, you will die you Bitch, you will have too watch every step.”

King told Ms Eagle to leave the UK and said she would “never be safe”.

He also threatened an “IRA sniper or bomb on you the day you steal the leadership of the Labour party.”

Later in the email he called the MP “an evil witch”, and wrote: “Do you really believe you can win and live to use that power? this is my one and only warning next time you see me I’ll be with a real gun or knife cutting your life to an end.”

The email ended with: “Leave the UK... or die.”

Amanda Cullen, prosecuting, said the email was read first by Jay Glover, who works as constituency officer manager for Wirral South MP Alison McGovern, but was helping Ms Eagle.

She told the court: “He was deeply concerned regarding the contents and reported the matter to the police.”

When interviewed by police, King admitted sending the email as a way to “let off steam” over Ms Eagle’s bid to take over the Labour leadership.

He said he had no access to firearms and no plans to travel to Wallasey, and simply looked up her email address while getting ready for work.

King admitted drinking whisky before sending the email but said he was not drunk as he had work that afternoon.

The court heard he was left “annoyed and very upset” at hearing of Ms Eagle’s leadership bid, and wanted her to “feel as upset as he had felt”.

Sinead Fearon, defending, said: “This is a man who clearly needs some sort of help. He sent the email on July 12, which was extremely distressing to the recipient.

“He did it on a whim without any thought as to the consequences of that.

“He said he was venting his anger and would never have acted on those threats he made in the email.

“He is not a gentleman who gets into trouble regularly in these courts or up in Scotland.”

The court heard King was suspended from his part-time job in a shop after being charged with the offence.

Magistrates said the case was serious enough for him to be jailed because of the words used and the political environment at the time the email was sent, including the murder of MP Jo Cox.

They gave King an eight week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered him to complete a 25 day rehabilitation order.

He must also complete 80 hours of unpaid work and pay £200 in costs.

The full text of the email sent to Angela Eagle:

If! You become the leader of the Labour Party you will split it and make Labour lose but also you will too have time too enjoy it, you will die you Bitch, you will have too watch every step and everytime you eat anything, you will not live to enjoy the leader of the Labour Party.

IRA sniper or bomb will be on you the day you steal the leadership of the Labour Party. You will have too many police with you 24/7. And will never be safe. Leave the UK it is the only way you can live or you will die.

You have may people like me that hate you and do not care what it will cost too make sure that you never lead the labour party. Do you really believe you can win and live to use that power? this is my one and only warning next time you see me I’ll be with a real gun or knife cutting your life to an end. Can you stop us all evil witch? Can you hide forever...leave the UK...or die