FORMER Labour MP Mike Amesbury faces jail for punching a man to the floor in a row over a bridge closure.

He told victim Paul Fellows he was “sincerely sorry” after pleading guilty to assaulting the 45-year-old today.

CCTV of the attack, committed in Frodsham, Cheshire, in the early hours of October 26, was shown at Chester Magistrates’ Court.

The Runcorn and Helsby MP could be heard telling Mr Fellows “you won’t threaten your MP again” after punching him in the head with enough force to knock him to the ground.

He punched Mr Fellows at least five times more, the prosecution said.

The court heard that both men had been drinking alone and CCTV showed them talking for several minutes before the assault.

Mr Amesbury initially told police that he had “acted in self-defence.”

District judge Tan Ikram told the defendant he was “leaving all options open at this stage” ahead of a sentencing hearing on February 24.

Defence lawyer Richard Derby said the assault had been a “momentary incident” and arose from Mr Amesbury interpreting “what was being said as no longer a conversation but something to which he thought there was another motive to.”

Speaking after the hearing, the MP told reporters: “I respect the judicial process. It’s highly regrettable, the incident in October.

“I’m sincerely sorry to Mr Fellows and his family.”

Mr Amesbury was suspended from the Labour Party after footage emerged which showed him punching Mr Fellows and he subsequently resigned his membership.

He now sits in Parliament as an independent.

If Amesbury is sent to prison or given a suspended sentence, his Commons seat will be at risk.

A sentence of less than a year, even if suspended, would leave him liable to a recall process, with a by-election taking place if 10 per cent of registered voters in his constituency sign a petition calling for one.

A jail term of more than a year would mean Mr Amesbury automatically losing his seat.

A Labour Party spokesman said: “It is right that Mike Amesbury has taken responsibility for his unacceptable actions.

“He was rightly suspended by the Labour Party following the announcement of the police investigation.

“We cannot comment further whilst legal proceedings are still ongoing.”

Mr Amesbury won his seat at the 2024 general election with a 14,696 majority.