Man who told MP Jess Phillips she would 'burn until her skin is no more' jailed

Labour MP for Yardley Jess Phillips
-Credit: (Image: Nick Wilkinson/Birmingham Live)


A Birmingham man who emailed Jess Phillips with abuse including telling her "hell is real and you will burn" has been jailed. Nabil Arif was sentenced yesterday, September 9, to 12 weeks behind bars for making threats against the Yardley MP.

The correspondence sent to Ms Phillips related to the Israel-Gaza conflict. They were sent between October 13, 2023, and February 20, 2024.

Arif, 36, in his final email, called Ms Phillips "pathetic" and threatened she would "burn until her skin is no more". This prompted the victim to report the offence to the police the following day.

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In her victim impact statement, Ms Phillips expressed fear that Arif's aggression towards her might escalate and potentially lead to her coming to physical harm. She said it had changed her life immeasurably.

The 42-year-old added: "It limited my freedom and my ability to do my job closely with the public as I used to do.”

Arif, of Warwick Road, Birmingham, was convicted of sending by public communication network an offensive, indecent, obscene, or menacing message or matter after a trial at Birmingham Magistrates' Court in the summer. He was also made subject of a restraining order barring him from contacting Ms Phillips until further notice.

Richard Purchase of the CPS said: “MPs have a right to perform their duties and represent their constituents without being subjected to derogatory messages that cause alarm and distress. It is clear that Arif’s behaviour escalated from the initial emails, leading Ms Phillips to fear for her safety.

"The CPS acted promptly to secure a conviction against Arif to prevent further offending. I hope this case serves as a reminder that we take offences like these seriously and are committed to holding perpetrators accountable for their actions.”