Man jailed for sending malicious communications to Jess Phillips

A man who sent ‘malicious communications’ to Labour minister Jess Phillips has been put behind bars.

Jack Bennett pleaded guilty to the offence in an appearance at Exeter Magistrates’ Court today and was jailed for 28 weeks.

The 39-year-old, from Devon, had been charged with sending malicious communications between April 2024 and January 2025 to three people, including Phillips.

News of his charge came as the Birmingham Yardley MP was the target of severe criticism by billionaire Elon Musk last month.

Musk, the world’s richest man, called Phillips a ‘witch’ and said she ‘deserves to be in prison’ for her response to the grooming gangs scandal.

Phillips is the government’s Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls.

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