Michael Donaldson, 56, was arrested on March 22 after making a chilling threat against MP Ed Miliband. The incident occurred in Bentley, where Donaldson approached Miliband and threatened to “slit the throat” of the Member of Parliament. The threat left Mr. Miliband feeling intimidated, and a member of his staff was reportedly “clearly shaken.
Upon his arrest, Donaldson initially dismissed his comments as a “joke.” However, while in police custody, he was overheard making another disturbing remark: “Ed Miliband… He will be in a body bag when I see him next.”
Detective Constable Jack Goodall, the officer in charge of the case, spoke about the severity of the situation, stating, “Donaldson’s behaviour was incredibly alarming and caused Mr Miliband and his staff to understandably be considerably concerned for their safety. Officers acted quickly on this concerning report to arrest Donaldson, and with the evidence captured, he had no choice but to plead guilty in court.”
Donaldson, who resides on Askern Road in Bentley, admitted to one count of making a threat to kill. A second count of making a threat to kill was ordered to remain on file. On August 29, Donaldson was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court. The exact details of his sentence have not been disclosed, but a restraining order was imposed, preventing him from attending Mr Miliband’s constituency office.
