Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott’s privately educated son, 28, admits spitting at a police officer and biting his colleague outside Foreign and Commonwealth Office after being refused entry
- James Abbott-Thompson, 28, was working as diplomat when incident took place
- He attacked police called to Foreign Office due to his aggressive behaviour
- Today at Westminster Magistrates he admitted to spitting at the police officer
Diane Abbott’s son has today admitted to spitting at a police officer and biting his colleague outside the Foreign Office after being refused entry.
James Abbott-Thompson, 28, was working as a diplomat for the government department after graduating from Cambridge University.
He went to the building on 29 November to ask to see a member of staff he knew and became angry when he was told they were not there.
James Abbott-Thompson studied at Cambridge before getting a job at the Foreign Office
Police were called to the Foreign and Commonwealth Offices in King Charles Street, Westminster, where he attacked them when they asked him to leave.
The son of the shadow Home Secretary also admitted wrecking a glass plaque and assaulting a third man in the incident.
Misba Majid, prosecuting, earlier said: ‘It is an assault on two police officers after an incident taking place at the Commonwealth Offices. The Commonwealth Offices called the police.
‘He was there because he wanted to speak to a member of staff who was not present. When the police arrived, they politely asked him to leave. He refused to do so.
Diane Abbott’s son has today admitted to spitting at a police officer and biting his colleague outside the Foreign Office after being refused entry
‘He has gone on to whisper and the officer could not hear him so has come closer to him and he has gone on to spit in their face.
‘He has spat in the face of the officer PC Stefan Aqua. He has then managed to break one arm free and punch PC Aqua in the face.
‘He then tried to punch PC May and then grabbed PC May’s left thumb and bit him.’
The MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington was not in court to support her son who appeared via video-link wearing an orange vest with a grey jumper and glasses.
He spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth and admit the charges before thanking the judge at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
At the age of just 27 Abbott-Thompson was working alongside the British Ambassador in Italy advising the British Consul and the British community in Italy about their rights after leaving the European Union.
After two and a half years in London, Abbott-Thompson was stationed in the British Embassy in Rome and was appointed as the First Secretary for Exiting the EU.
Abbott-Thompson, of Manor Road, Tottenham, north London, admitted threatening behaviour, criminal damage, assault by beating and two counts of assaulting a police officer.
He will return for sentence on 8 April.