A bitter constituent who made death threats to his MP and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has walked free from court.

John Sweeney, downed eight cans of beer before sending threatening emails to the leader of the opposition, Leyton and Wanstead MP John Cryer and director general of the BBC Tony Hall on January 25 this year.

He also included one of Mr Cryer’s assistants Gareth Myton and Anna Askew, an assistant to Ian Duncan-Smith in the “terrifying” group email.

Just six months ago, the 41-year-old, of Rhodesia Road, Leytonstone, was allowed to walk free after making threats to kill Mr Cryer.

At Westminster Magistrates Court, bearded, wearing a checked shirt and jeans, unemployed Sweeney was handed a suspended sentence.

He muttered: “Could have been worse” as he walked from court a free man.

Judge Margot Coleman said that the victims would have been “terrified for their lives” and the threats should be taken even more seriously in light of what happened to the murdered MP Jo Cox.

The email was titled “Choppy, Choppy, Heads, Heads” prosecutor Sophie Staunton told the court.

In it Sweeney wrote: “Somebody else is going to die before me, why not today eh?”, “Blood is on your hands f**kers, watch me” and “Death is coming soon, headline news and dead bodies”.

Ms Staunton said: “The email was sent by the defendant from his own account out of frustration that his previous emails had gone unanswered after he had consumed eight cans of alcohol.

Sweeney had previously been convicted for sending threats to kill Mr Cryer in August last year.

He also walked free then, after being sentenced to a community order of 150 hours unpaid work, which is still in place.

He had failed to turn up to a community mental health assessment suggested at his previous sentencing.

Judge Coleman said the new threats were “very serious” as they were made against the same victim and his local MP Mr Cryer as his previous conviction.

She said they were “very unpleasant in the light of what happened to Mrs Cox”.

Sweeney said he only wanted to get his victims attention after previous emails he had sent had been ignored.

Even in light of his previous threats to Mr Cryer Sweeney claimed he did not set out to send threatening emails and it was not part of a “hate campaign”.

Sweeney said in court: “I do not think I am mentally unwell” and said he only suffered from “depression exacerbated by alcohol use”.

The court heard he believes the BBC have infiltrated his life and had told a psychiatrist that his co-workers and members of his own family were investigating him on behalf of them.

He said the BBC were “interfering in his life” and “stopping him getting work”.

In another fantasy he stated he believed former president of the United States Barack Obama wanted to “get him back” and was working with the BBC.

Judge Coleman urged Sweeney to “comply with the mental health services” or he could find himself in “serious trouble”.

She said he would now face jail if he did not go for a full mental assessment.

“Everyone is trying to help you, if you do not take the help there is only one outcome.” she said.

Sentencing Sweeney to 40 weeks in prison suspended for two years, she said: “You may have gathered how very seriously I view these matters.

“I do not know what was going on in your head.

“Anybody receiving messages such as the one you sent would have been absolutely terrified for their lives.

“It is not conduct I am prepared to overlook.”

Sweeney pleaded guilty to five counts of sending threatening emails. He was banned from contacting his victims and must complete alcohol and rehabilitation requirements.