Couch (pictured) has been jailed for 24 weeks after he became ‘fixated’ with the former Tory MP and posted online about buying rope in what a judge said was a clear reference to hanging
A Falklands war veteran who sent a barrage of messages to ex-Tory MP Heidi Allen and said he should order some rope in ‘a clear reference to hanging’ has been jailed.
Ian Couch also shared the details of the MP’s home address to internet trolls that she had previously blocked on Twitter.
The 59-year-old, who lives in Ms Allen’s constituency of South Cambridgeshire, believed he had developed a special relationship with her and regularly contacted her via email expressing his views on Brexit.
Michael Proctor, prosecuting, told Westminster Magistrates’ Court today that he became fixated with Heidi Allen, who quit to Tories to lead the pro-EU breakaway Change UK, and is now serving as an independent since the group’s dissolution.
‘There is a history the defendant and Heidi Allen – she is a well-known public figure and has made a number of public speeches.
‘I believe he fought in the Falklands War and lost a number of comrades during his service during that time.
‘They first met at a Remembrance Day celebration in November 2017 and in the middle of 2018 Heidi Allen described how she was often emailed by Mr Couch where he put forward his point of view – this was not criminal in nature.
‘He appears to have become quite fixated on her and she was forced to block him because he was tweeting constantly about Brexit.’
The court heard their interactions had become strained and that in November 2018, Couch had gone to the MP’s home and attempted to hand back his war medals.
‘He attended the address of Ms Allen and insisted she return his medals; he wished her to take them back to Prime Minister Theresa May. Miss Allen was in her dressing gown – it was a Sunday morning.
Couch made comments about scaffolding and rope, which the prosecution said was a reference to hanging traitors (pictured: Heidi Allen MP)
‘He effectively thrust them into her hands and she was left with them, and she thought the best thing to do was to return them to the village vicar.
‘Following the incident Crouch made several posts on social media, one that said Ms Allen was “looking good” in her dressing gown.
‘Those messages blew rather hot and cold – they highlighted his fixation with her and his views.’
The court also heard that more sinister posts were made by Couch on the 9th January.
In a Facebook post he wrote: ‘Tut tut Heidi Allen MP – why did you do it? I’m close to giving out your home address to the people who want it so that they can send you congratulatory cards.
‘I do only live 500m away from you and Phil [husband] – hope the renovations are going well and the scaffolding on the front seems apt. LOL…democracy pathetic.
Mr Proctor said that the comments about the scaffolding related to the implied hanging of political ‘traitors’. In another post Couch joked that he should ‘add some rope to my yellow vest order.’
He also sent an aerial photo of Ms Allen’s home address to a Twitter account that she had previously blocked.
Couch was today jailed at Westminster Magistrates’ Court (pictured) for 24 weeks over posts relating to the independent MP Heidi Allen
‘This was an account that Heidi Allen had blocked, suggesting that she would not want her personal details known by them.
‘This person had 18,000 Twitter followers – you can see that the tweet is far more specific about the location of Heidi Allen’s house.
The following day he sent an email to her which said sometimes his social media following could sometimes ‘get out of control.’
When questioned about the messages Couch denied that anything he had sent to Miss Allen had been intentionally threatening.
‘He confirmed he knew where she lived but was adamant they were not menacing and respected her and her husband for the work they did,’ said Mr Proctor.
‘He stated to the police that he hadn’t meant anything by the email and didn’t mean to cause any stress.
In a victim impact statement Ms Allen that said: ‘For the first time ever I have felt scared in my own home village.
‘This is something I have never experienced before – your home should be your sanctuary.
‘I had wanted to start running again – I bought a new pair of trainers but didn’t want to go out in them as I was scared that Mr Couch would come up behind me when I had my earphones in.
Joseph McKenna, defending said: ‘Mr Couch thought, wrongly, that he’d developed a rapport with her beyond the rapport that one would have with an ordinary constituent. He thought they were having a relationship or dialogue on Brexit.
‘He is on constant suicide watch in prison because he is missing his dogs and is being bullied by other prisoners in there.’
The court also heard from Leonard Goldsmith, who served with Couch in the Falklands, and who attended court with Couch’s partner.
‘I have known Ian since 1981 when we joined the Royal Marines – I find it quite sad to find myself here today.
‘All I can ask sir is for you to show some mercy towards him – I tend to take my politics with a pinch of salt these days but Ian is very involved.
Turning to Couch, Mr Goldsmith added: ‘Ian, if you can pull yourself together and get over this then I’ll give you my medals, mate.’
Passing sentencing, Judge Michael Snow told Couch: ‘I recognise that you are a man that has served the public with bravery.
‘You have done what many people would not be able to do – there are too many veterans in custody.
‘But I am afraid I cannot put the seriousness of this offence aside – it is clear to me that the effect on Miss Allen would have been terrifying. There are references to rope that are clear references to hanging.
Judge Snow cited a BBC poll relating to the number of MPs that had been abused by members of the public and drew attention to the tragedy of the murdered MP Jo Cox.
‘This is an attack on democracy, if people are too frightened or too scared to stand for MP – it is a profound attack on democracy.’
Couch, of Elsworth, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, was found guilty of two counts of sending menacing messages. He was sentenced to 24 weeks in prison.