Disgraced Labour MP Eric Joyce fined for cutting off electronic tag to compete in boat race

Joyce, the MP for Falkirk, tweeted about his part in the Lords vs Commons boat race in July, posting: "Lords v Commons rowing about to start. Let's hope all that extensive training pays off... "

The former army man appeared in court yesterday and was handed a £600 fine for cutting off the tag.

His lawyer had argued that Joyce took off the tag - the act of which triggered an alarm at security firm Serco - because it would have made it difficult for him to row and attract unwelcome media attention.

But Sheriff John Halley, speaking in Stirling Sheriff Court, was having none of it.

Handing down the fine, he said: “You took it upon ­yourself to remove the tag, which you were required to wear.

“You’re recorded as saying that you cut it off to stop your ­photograph being taken for the charity event.

“It’s not for you or any other person under a court order to decide to refuse to comply with the court order.

“You made a clear decision to breach the order. It’s not a reasonable excuse.”

Joyce told reporters after he was issued the fine: "It's quite a stiff penalty but I'm an MP and it's perhaps an attempt to persuade others not to do the same."

To add insult to injury, he admitted of the boat race: "We didn't even win in the end."

Joyce resigned from the Labour party following the bar brawl during which he drunkenly attacked four people, including Tory MP Stewart Andrew, whom Joyce headbutted. 

Image: Getty