Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns has defended giving a reference to a party activist who was later jailed for threatening one her Labour counterparts.
Conservative campaigner Joshua Spencer, 25, was sentenced to nine weeks inside today.
He had discussed attacks on Labour MP Yvette Cooper and admitted a charge of sending an offensive, indecent, obscene or menacing message by a public communication network.
Ms Jenkyns, the MP for Morley and Outwood, released a statement defending her decision to write the reference for Spencer, of Knottingley, West Yorkshire.
"I have known Joshua for a number of years. I stand by my decision to have given him a personal reference," she tweeted in regards to Spencer, who had run to be a Tory councillor.
"Josh has bipolar and had mental health issues since his father's suicide in 2015 and I was, and remain, concerned about his emotional and mental well-being and wanted to make absolutely sure it was taken into consideration as part of the judicial process.
"I will be seeking assurances that he will get the support he clearly needs as part of his rehabilitation."
