A man who admitted threatening to kill his MP – saying he wanted to lock him in a building and set fire to it – has said he wants to change his guilty plea.
Benjamin Clarke, 31, appeared at Durham Crown Court where he was due to be sentenced for making threats to kill Bishop Auckland Labour MP Sam Rushworth, and a malicious communications offence, having admitted the charges last month.
His barrister Chris Baker said Clarke wanted to vacate those pleas and Recorder Mark Giuliani adjourned the case until next month.
Clarke, of Durham Street, Bishop Auckland, was bailed on condition that he did not make any further comments on social media about Mr Rushworth.
At a previous hearing at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court, it was said that Clarke contacted his MP in August on social media, saying: “I cannot wait for your next public appearance, you will be lucky to leave it in one piece.”
Mr Rushworth blocked him from contacting him on the social media platform, preventing any further malicious communications offences, prosecutors said at a hearing on December 19.
The following month, Clarke told two mental health practitioners that he wanted to find the MP and smash his head off a pavement, to set fire to a building he was in and then “lock all the doors so I could hear him screaming”, the court heard last month.
The magistrates’ court was told that Clarke added: “I’m going to do it, it’s just a matter of time.”
Mr Giuliani told Clarke his case will next be heard at Teesside Crown Court on February 5.