Man jailed for eight weeks over antisemitic messages sent to Leeds MP
Kevin Smith was convicted of sending abusive voice messages and 300 texts to Leeds Central and Headingley MP Alex Sobel
Last updated 4th Dec 2025
A 61-year-old man who sent a series of antisemitic messages to an MP while he was drunk has been jailed for eight weeks by a district judge who said he had shown no remorse.
Kevin Smith looked confused and said "I don't believe this" as he was led to the cells from Leeds Magistrates' Court on Thursday.
District Judge David Kitson outlined how Smith sent voice messages and 300 text messages to the constituency office of Leeds Central and Headingley MP Alex Sobel between March 6 and March 15 2024.
The judge said the voice messages were "just generally unpleasant and offensive", but many of the text messages included phrases like "kill the Jews" and "kill all the Jews, they should be arrested for war crimes".
Judge Kitson noted how Smith told arresting police officers he was exercising his freedom of speech.
The judge told him: "Whilst we all enjoy freedom of speech in this country, it is a qualified right."
He said: "The targeting of people because of their religion is simply not permissible."
And the judge said: "Where an MP is targeted that must mean, in my judgment, high culpability."
He said: "By targeting an MP, that undermines the democratic process and democratic institutions in this country."
Judge Kitson added: "We are all aware that in recent times, sadly, at least two members of Parliament have lost their lives after being targeted by fanatical individuals - one very close to this particular area."
This was an apparent reference to the murder of MP Jo Cox in Birstall, West Yorkshire, in 2016.
Judge Kitson said the messages had "quite clearly" led the Labour MP to become concerned, especially for the safety of his family.
Quoting a pre-sentence probation report, the judge said Smith showed little or no remorse for what he had done.
He said the report also said he "didn't care about the impact on Mr Sobel as he doesn't know him and he dislikes MPs in general".
The judge said Smith should be jailed for 10 weeks but dropped this to eight weeks as an "act of mercy" after hearing about his health problems.
He told the defendant he will serve 40% of this sentence under the current prison release regime.
Smith, who lives in Mr Sobel's Leeds constituency, pleaded guilty to sending a malicious communication at a previous hearing.
He was also made subject to a restraining order which prevents him from contacting Mr Sobel, unless it is about genuine constituency business, or going near his office.
Tal Spiegel, defending, told the court his client was very interested in politics, especially the war in Gaza, and suggested Smith's isolated lifestyle, "sat in front of his TV", meant he had nobody to warn him about messaging in the way he did.
Asking the judge to spare Smith from prison, Mr Spiegel said his client had not done anything similar in the last 21 months.
He said it was a "one-off incident" and said his client had now reflected on the fact that "being intoxicated is not a defence in law".
The solicitor said Smith now understands the "difference between being Israeli and Jewish" and that "attacking the state of Israel is one thing, but attacking the faith is a different thing".