Man who harassed London MP on Tube sentenced

A man who harassed and intimidated Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy in a Tube carriage has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Clifford Wilby, 63, of east London, was last month found guilty of harassing the Labour MP on a Victoria line train between Walthamstow Central and Finsbury Park on 15 July last year.

Westminster Magistrates' Court heard Wilby spoke to Creasy about knife crime and her "failings as a Member of Parliament" before filming her, leading to members of the public intervening.

At the same court, Wilby was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, and told to complete 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days, and ordered to pay £100.

In a victim personal statement read by her solicitor during the hearing, Creasy said: "Being in an enclosed underground train carriage with someone who is angry and aggressive brings out every survival instinct.

"His conduct was not only intimidating on that day but also formed part of a wider pattern of behaviour."

She added that she still finds herself feeling anxious, particularly when travelling alone on the Underground, and she now deliberately sits as close to the doors as possible.

She added: "Being trapped within a moving train carriage left me feeling powerless."

She also said she was frightened for the people who stepped in to help her.

She added: "I firmly believe it was only because of my constituents' intervention that Mr Wilby was prevented from taking his behaviour further."

The court had heard that Wilby and Creasy first met during a Zoom meeting in 2024 as part of her role as an MP, but the meeting was stopped because he started to make a complaint about a constituent and "made a series of very serious allegations".

Creasy said they had made eye contact on the Tube train, and she had recognised him.

"He stood up and blocked my ability to leave the carriage," she said.

"He began talking to me about his concerns about my constituent. He was shouting, although the Tube train is a loud environment."

Wilby had denied using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

He had told the court that he had hoped to have a conversation with Creasy about the constituent, but she had become "quite agitated".

He said he had been "quite shocked" by her reaction, so he had begun a recording on his phone for his safety.

Wilby repeatedly said "liar" from the dock during sentencing as the prosecution outlined the background of the case.

He was also given a restraining order for five years and told he could not contact Creasy directly or indirectly.

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