Man who sent MP’s wife dead bird in post is given restraining order

Roger Dyas-Elliott, 65, from Ramsden Crescent, admitted to the indecent act at Worksop Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

Today before sentencing, the court heard how Dyas-Elliot found the dead blackbird in his garden before putting it in a jiffy bag and posting it to Coun White’s home address from a post office in Doncaster.

Coun White, who was voted into office for Worksop East in this year’s local elections, returned home on the evening of Wednesday 16th May to find the package addressed to her.

The court heard how the package ‘had such an awful and noxious smell that it made her wretch and feel sick’.

Coun White then called the emergency services in fear that it was a bomb, before police, fire and ambulance crews arrived and the area was cordoned off.

The package was opened to reveal a decomposing blackbird.

Dyas-Elliot said that he sent the package because he was ‘bitter’ after his application to run as a Labour councillor was declined by the group’s Bassetlaw District Applications Panel, which included Coun White - due to his ‘unkempt appearance’.

Jo Chadd, prosecuting, said: “He felt very bitter about it, and mostly blamed Coun White.”

“He said that it was a political and personal protest against her and he felt justified at the time, but now regrets his actions.”

Defending Dyas-Elliott, Ian Pridham said that he felt ‘genuine remorse and regret’.

“In hindsight, my client realises that he was in the wrong,” said Mr Pridham.

“His upset had built up over time and he was at a low ebb because of his depression.”

Sentencing Dyas-Elliott, M Humphrey said: “We can only imagine that when she received this package, Ms White would have been in fear and very offended at what she found.”

“This was a bitter act and you know that it was offensive.”

Dyas-Elliott was given a high-level community order for two years with supervision, ordered to pay £100 compensation to Coun White and given a restraining order to stay away from her and not contact her for an indefinite period of time.

- For the full story see next Friday’s Worksop Guardian.