A MAN has appeared in court charged with leaving a grossly offensive voicemail message for Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle.

Don Fisher, of Findon Road, Brighton, is accused of leaving the voicemail message, which was said to be “menacing in character”, for the Kemp Town MP.

If convicted, he faces being jailed for up to six months.

The 57-year-old appeared at Brighton magistrates’ court on June 23 to answer a charge of sending by public communication network an offensive, indecent, obscene and menacing message.

This is an offence contrary to section 127(1)(a) and (3) of the Communications Act 2003.

Victoria Grey, prosecuting, told the court the voicemail message was left for Mr Russell-Moyle on November 24 last year.

When asked how he wished to plead, Fisher told magistrates from the dock: “Not guilty.”

The case against Fisher was adjourned for a trial at Brighton magistrates’ court on November 14.

The prosecutor told the court that audio recordings would form part of the trial.

Fisher was released on conditional bail and told not to contact Mr Russell-Moyle, directly or indirectly, and not to come with 100 metres of the MP.

He was also told not to contact Simon Burgess, a Labour Party employee, directly or indirectly, and not to enter any Labour Party buildings.