A MAN has denied making threats to a member of parliament.

Lance O’Connor is charged with targeting Hove MP Peter Kyle with threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour in Parliament Square, Westminster, last October.

The 57-year-old denied any wrongdoing when he appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Mr Kyle, who has been the MP for Hove since 2015, was appointed the Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland last year in a Labour cabinet reshuffle. 

O'Connor, who was not represented by a lawyer, told the court: "I am dyslexic and get brain fog sometimes, but I maintain my innocence.

"I know of no offence I am guilty of. I would like to apply to have all charges thrown out since there is no case to answer.

"To my knowledge, I have a right to free speech and my right to protest in public. At no point did I cause alarm or distress to any man.

"I would like to know who the injured party is and who brings the claim against me. Why is my right to artistic expression an offence if no one is committing treason?"

Weera Sena, prosecuting, did not go into more detail about the case against Mr O’Connor during the hearing.

O'Connor, of Plaistow, east London, faces six months in prison or an unlimited fine if convicted.

Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring adjourned the hearing. O'Connor will next appear for a further case management hearing on February 23.

A trial is scheduled to take place on May 3.

O'Connor was bailed on condition that he does not contact any MP, unless it is his own constituency MP for an urgent matter.

Mr Kyle, a former charity sector executive, also previously served as a Shadow Justice Minister and a Shadow Education Minister.