Naz Shah MP: Man sentenced for leaving grossly offensive voice message

A man who left an abusive voice message for MP Naz Shah has today been sentenced to 12 weeks in prison suspended for 18 months after pleading guilty to a public communications offence at Taunton Magistrates’ Court. He also received a five-year restraining order, banning him from contacting Ms Shah or attending her constituency office. 

In the voicemail he left in November 2023, Thomas Mearing, 26, accused Ms Shah of supporting Hamas and made other derogatory comments about her. The incident happened shortly after the attack inside Israel on 7 October.

He phoned her Bradford West constituency office at the weekend, so the call went straight to voicemail but was picked up by a member of her staff the following Monday. She reported it to West Yorkshire Police who traced it back to Mearing who lived in Yeovil, Somerset.

In police interview, Mearing accepted that he left the voicemail but insisted it was not intended to cause alarm or distress but eventually pleaded guilty to sending an offensive communication to the MP.

Alex Herowych, South West Senior District Crown Prosecutor said: 

“Mearing’s voicemail message was highly offensive and insulting to Ms Shah, and his comments have no place in a civilised society. 

“There is a world of a difference between robust criticism – which elected representatives should expect – and hateful abuse, which neither Ms Shah nor her constituency staff should be subjected to.

“Members of Parliament are rightly protected by the same laws as everyone else, and would-be abusers should know they cannot send such vitriolic messages without repercussions.”