A 48-year-old man, who sent threatening emails to British Indian Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, has been handed a three-year and three months prison sentence after pleading guilty to making a threat to kill, threatening communications and common assault.

Ryan Breheny appeared before Bolton Crown Court on Tuesday where it emerged that he sent two email messages to Nandy’s constituency office, including threats to kill the 45-year-old Labour member of Parliament of Wigan in Greater Manchester.

The office manager who opened the emails was very distressed and contacted the police.

“I was shocked and genuinely believed that this man could’ve carried out the threats that he was making,” noted the office manager’s victim impact statement which was read out in court.

The court heard how Breheny called the emergency services just after 6.15 pm on June 3 and told the police operator he wanted to make a complaint about the National Health Service (NHS).

Breheny then said he had been “offered an AK47 and was going to execute everyone in the hospital wearing a uniform”.

He continued to make threats and used the word “execute” multiple times, referring to the specific weapons he was planning on using.

During the call, Breheny also referred to chemicals he could get hold of and how easy it was to make a bomb. Less than an hour later, he sent threatening email messages to the MP’s constituency office.

“Breheny’s threats have caused fear and distress to the staff at the MP’s office. Members of Parliament and the emergency services play vital roles in our communities and criminality cannot be allowed to impede or affect that in any way,” said Abbie Clarke, Senior Crown Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in the North West.

“The Crown Prosecution Service works with the police to protect MPs and our emergency services so they can continue to do their important work,” she said.

Police officers attended the suspect’s address later on June 3 evening and as one of the officers knocked on the door, he could see Breheny in the house with a crossbow.

Breheny was told to drop the weapon but instead began to load it and opened the door with the weapon in his hand. He was later arrested in his house after he dropped the weapon.

Further weapons, including slingshots, rifles, a baton, and a machete, were seized from inside his home.

During his subsequent police interview, Breheny admitted sending the emails to the MP’s office and making the call to the emergency services, but at the same time claiming he had no intention of carrying out his threats.

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