Sir David Amess death: Peter Kyle settles death threat case

The MP for Portslade and Hove revealed he has had "numerous" threats against his life that forced him to "radically" change the way he lives, including receiving an armed police guard.

Just last week, days before Sir David Amess was stabbed to death while meeting constituents in Essex, the Labour MP settled a case outside of court with someone who threatened to kill him.

• READ MORE: MP Peter Kyle's office attacked with 'clawhammer'

Another such case remains outstanding and will likely lead to court proceedings, he told The Argus.

Mr Kyle also praised Sussex Police for their "proactive" security but recognised that many women suffer "much worse" threats on a daily basis.

He said: "I’ve always spoken with great reluctance about my own security because I’m very aware that many people in our community feel threatened, sometimes daily and in their own homes, yet don’t have the same specialist police support as me.

Peter Kyle's office was smashed last year

"But the public do have a right to know what many MPs experience these days and there is a legitimate reason to share my own experience.

"It is true that I have had numerous threats made against my life since becoming an MP, sometimes resulting in emergency interventions by the police and the need for me to radically alter the way I live my life.

"For one period of time I was advised, and accepted, to have an armed police escort.

"Just last week, the same week as David Amess was murdered, a case was settled out of court with someone who pleaded guilty to making a threat against my life.

"Another such case remains outstanding and will likely necessitate a court process."

In September last year, the MP's constituency office was attacked with a “clawhammer” in a “frightening and violent” assault on Church Road.

Photographs showed damage to a window and glass door, believed to have been attacked with the tool.

I know full well that others, almost always women, suffer this much, much worse than me

The attack came after The Argus reported how bulletproof glass was fitted at the office in response to concerns about safety.

He added: "I don’t know why I have attracted such attention but I know full well that others, almost always women, suffer this much, much worse than me.

"Sussex Police have always been superb, proactive and professional and its thanks to them that I feel safe and know that a watchful eye is always over my team.

"The issues raised by this debate are complex, covering support and interventions for people with mental health challenges or living in social isolation, the role of social media in fuelling hate, and the manner in which public debate is conducted and reported, among many others.

"I hope this can be looked at as well as the physical security measures around MPs which seems to be treating the symptom without the cause."

It comes as the family of Sir David Amess comforted each other as they read messages on floral tributes left outside the church where the MP was stabbed to death on Friday.

Julia Amess (left) the widow of Conservative MP Sir David Amess

Sir David’s widow, Julia, wiped tears from her eyes on the visit to Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex on Monday morning.

The family, accompanied by the church’s minister Clifford Newman, spent more than 15 minutes looking through the messages that people had written.

The father-of-five, who leaves behind four daughters and one son, was fatally attacked while meeting constituents.

Counter-terrorism officers are quizzing a 25-year-old – understood to be Ali Harbi Ali, a British citizen with Somali heritage – who is in custody after being arrested on suspicion of murder.

According to unconfirmed reports, Ali went to secondary school in Croydon and is claimed to have trained as an NHS doctor after studying at medical school.