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An angry, ranting constituent who told his MP he would punch him in the face was jailed for four months today.



In just one day, John Collins left 11 long threatening messages on the voicemail of the Hertford and Stortford Conservative MP Mark Prisk.



It came against the background of members of parliament receiving threats and violence - as well as the horrific murder of Labour MP Jo Cox in June 2016/



St Albans Crown Court heard that Collins, 60, said he would come to the surgery of the former housing and local government minister and punch him in the face.



He also told the 55-year-old MP: "I am going to catch you and the police who are f***ing protecting you."

The calls were all made on Tuesday 18 April and as a result Mr Prisk missed hustings for the general elections.

He held the seat in the June General Election with more than 60 per cent of the vote.

Collins appeared via a video link from Wormwood Scrubs prison, having earlier pleaded guilty to leaving 11 threatening voice messages on April 18 this year.

The length of time he has spent on remand means he will be immediately release, but will be subject to an indefinite restraining order banning him from contacting the MP or his staff.

Prosecutor Laura Blackband said the MP had first been in contact with Collins in 2002 when he was helping him with access problems to his daughter and family disputes. In 2014 he left "aggressive and rude messages for the MP."

She said: "Given events concerned the murder of an MP last year he took latest threats seriously and called the police"

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Defending, Houzla Rawat said: "Some years ago he was in a relationship and a child was born. The relationship broke down.

"He has long standing complaints how he was dealt with by the family law system because he is an Irish Catholic with an Arab background. He was stopped from having any contact with his daughter.

"He contacted Mark Prisk and feels MP did not take him seriously and live up to requirements of constituency MP.

"His said his staff said nothing could be done and feels he was deliberately misled. He was told by the staff: 'Take your pills and you will feel better.'

"He felt there was no avenue for him and while angry he made the phone calls and left messages."

The court heard he was on medication and in April this year had been suffering from a form of mental illness.

Passing sentence, Judge Andrew Bright QC said: "You suffer from a paranoid personality disorder that does not amount to a mental illness.

"What you did was very frightening for Mr Prisk and comes against a background of MPs receiving threats and violence, some of which has most tragic consequences."