A prisoner serving a life sentence at HMP Wakefield, a Category A facility in Britain, has been sentenced to an additional seven years for making a series of violent threats against female Members of Parliament and a parliamentary staffer. Neil Preece-Smith, 41, used an official telephone within the maximum-security wing to contact the House of Commons switchboard over two days in November 2024.
He repeatedly dialed the switchboard, entering a PIN to bypass security, and left explicit voicemails threatening to kidnap, rape, and murder several female MPs. Among those targeted were Labour MP Nadia Whittome, former Conservative MP Lucy Frazer, and Liberal Democrat MP Christine Jardine. A female parliamentary switchboard operator also received repeated threats of sexual violence, abduction, and murder.
In one message to Lucy Frazer, Preece-Smith referenced the 1999 murder of Jill Dando, stating he intended to do the same to her and claimed he had people monitoring her from within Parliament. He also suggested to Nadia Whittome's staff that he had information about a plot to attack her. Christine Jardine received a voicemail in which Preece-Smith claimed to know her home address and said he had a photograph of her on his wall.
During the sentencing at Leeds Crown Court, Judge Richard Mansell, KC, highlighted the gravity of the offenses, particularly in light of the murders of MPs Jo Cox and Sir David Amess. He stated that such threats require significant sentences to deter others, emphasizing that while public officials may face abuse, they should not endure these vile threats.
Preece-Smith, who has a history of violence and threats, pleaded guilty to sending messages conveying a threat of death or serious harm. He claimed to have been under the influence of the psychoactive drug Spice at the time of the calls, which he stated clouded his judgment. His defense did not deny making the calls.
The prisoner has a lengthy criminal record dating back to 1995, with 54 convictions for offenses including assault, robbery, arson, and affray. He has previously been convicted for setting fire to an ex-offenders' hostel in 2006, for which a judge deemed him 'extremely dangerous.' He also received a sentence for aiding and abetting the suicide of his cellmate in 2007, though he later claimed to have murdered the inmate.
In 2016, Preece-Smith admitted to planning an attack on child killer Roy Whiting. He has also made bomb hoax calls from within prison, including using a call to the Samaritans to make threats. His previous use of prison telephones for illicit purposes was also noted by the court.
Preece-Smith has been refused parole six times and is currently held under strict supervision. In addition to the seven-year sentence, he is now prohibited from contacting any MPs, with the sole exception of communicating with his constituency MP through a solicitor.