Self-styled ‘yellow vest’ James Goddard has avoided prison after being handed an eight week suspended sentence after calling Remain MP Anna Soubry a Nazi.
Goddard, 29, pleaded guilty to causing Ms Soubry harassment, alarm or distress during protests outside Parliament last Friday.
He also pleaded guilty to a racially aggravated public order offence against a police constable.
He initially denied the offences.
Goddard was sentenced to eight weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for a year, on Monday after pleading guilty to one charge using disorderly behaviour with intent to cause Ms Soubry harassment, alarm or distress.
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He was also handed a five-year restraining order banning him from contacting Ms Soubry and told he cannot enter an area, including Parliament Square, College Green, the Palace of Westminster, Portcullis House and Downing Street, and told to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.
He must also pay the MP £200 compensation.
Goddard, who was often seen on demonstrations with his supporters wearing a hi-vis vest, originally denied one count of harassment without violence outside the Houses of Parliament when Ms Soubry, then a Conservative MP, was called a “Nazi, traitor and scum”.
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Following the sentencing, Ms Soubry tweeted: “Another £200 for the @JoCoxFoundation Foundation”
Goddard must also pay £215 in other court costs, as well as another £200 compensation to a Lithuanian police officer after admitting a separate racially aggravated public order offence towards him.
Senior district judge Emma Arbuthnot had already indicated he would not be sent to jail.
Goddard, of Kelvindale Drive, Timperley, Altrincham was sentenced in front of a public gallery filled with supporters and family alongside 55-year-old Brian Phillips, of Dale View, Erith, Kent.
Phillips was sentenced to four weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for a year, and was handed the same restraining order after pleading guilty to the charge relating to Ms Soubry, a curfew and ordered to pay £200 in other court costs.
Last month, Goddard was fined £300 after being convicted of assaulting a photojournalist at a demo in Manchester.
Goddard, of Timperley in Altrincham, was thrown out of court during a previous case management hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court last month after interrupting the judge.
His trial hearing was delayed today after he mounted a bid to have district Emma Arbuthnot removed from his case.
(Image: Paul Davey/SWNS)
Her husband, James, was a Tory MP for almost 30 years and is now a Tory life peer.
He will be sentenced on Monday.
In a statement following the case on Friday, Ms Soubry said: “I am pleased that both defendants have pleaded guilty to two public order offences and in relation to Goddard the additional offence of racially aggravated abuse of a police officer.
“They have admitted these crimes and accepted that their behaviour on two occasions outside Parliament was wrong and unjustified. Everyone is entitled to go about their lawful business.
“In a democracy, people have a right to peaceful lawful protest. No-one has the right to intimidate and abuse anyone. I am particularly pleased justice has been done in relation to the police officer.
“Racist abuse is deplorable and should never be tolerated.”
