Man Charged Over Threatening Communications to UK Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips

The charges follow inflammatory comments by Elon Musk criticizing Phillips' stance on a child exploitation inquiry.

Jack Bennett, a 39-year-old from Devon, has been charged with three counts of malicious communications involving Jess Phillips and two others.
The alleged offensive messages were sent between April 2024 and January 2025, according to Devon and Cornwall Police.
Elon Musk, owner of X (formerly Twitter), previously accused Phillips of being a 'rape genocide apologist' and suggested she deserved imprisonment over her handling of a child exploitation inquiry in Oldham.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the escalation of far-right rhetoric leading to threats against Phillips, stating a 'line has been crossed.'
Phillips, a long-time advocate for victims of violence, has faced criticism for delegating the Oldham inquiry to local authorities rather than initiating a Home Office-led investigation.