Suffolk MP Patrick Spencer appears in court to deny sexual assault charges at London's Groucho Club
An MP has appeared in court to deny two counts of sexual assault allegedly carried out at central London's Groucho club.
Patrick Spencer, the MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, cupped the breasts of two women over their clothes at the famous private members' club on an evening in August 2023, said prosecutors.
The 37-year-old, from Suffolk, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court, where he confirmed his name and date of birth before pleading not guilty to the offences.
The politician was suspended from the Conservative Party and had the whip withdrawn after the charges were brought.
Prosecutor Polly Dyer told the court that the first complainant 'felt Mr Spencer put his arms under her arms' before he 'cupped her breasts over the clothing'.
Of the second complainant, the prosecutor alleged 'he moved behind her and also cupped her breasts with his hands over clothing'.
Ms Dyer added that neither woman consented to the alleged touching.
He is due to appear at Southwark Crown Court on 14 July.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
12 hours ago
- The Independent
Child sexual abuse victim criticises ‘smug' Badenoch over grooming inquiry
A victim of child sexual abuse has hit out at 'smug' Kemi Badenoch as he accused the Conservative leader of politicising the grooming gangs scandal. Liberal Democrat MP Josh Babarinde said he was 'really let down and disgusted' by Mrs Badenoch's party political response to the national inquiry. Labour's Dan Aldridge also spoke of his experience of 'sexual and psychological abuse' as a result of grooming, during the Home Secretary's statement in the Commons. The MP for Weston-super-Mare said he 'found it galling' to listen to Tory and Reform MPs 'who never once lifted a finger'. Mrs Badenoch earlier said it was left to the Conservatives to 'force' action on grooming gangs 'time and time again'. The Opposition leader said: 'They accused those of us demanding justice for the victims of this scandal as and I quote 'jumping on a far right bandwagon', a claim the Prime Minister's official spokesman restated this weekend, shameful. It has been left to Conservatives time and time again to force this issue.' She added: 'We went further than those recommendations. It was the Conservatives who established the grooming gangs taskforce, which supported police forces to make 807 arrests for group-based child sexual exploitation last year. So don't tell me we did nothing. 'There are legitimate concerns about institutions investigating themselves, especially as some of the most egregious cases of institutional failure occurred in Labour-controlled authorities. They can moan as much as they like but the people out there believe that is why nothing has happened yet.' Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said Baroness Casey's report 'sets out a timeline of failure from 2009 to 2025'. She added: 'Repeated reports and recommendations that were not acted on, on child protection, on police investigations, on ethnicity data, on data sharing, on support for victims. 'For 14 of those 16 years, her party was in government, including years when she was the minister for children and families, then the minister for equalities, covering race and ethnicity issues and violence against women and girls, and I did not hear her raise any of these issues until January of this year.' Speaking of his own experiences of abuse, Mr Babarinde said 'the horror, the trauma, the guilt never leaves you'. The MP for Eastbourne said: 'As a survivor of child sexual abuse myself, I stand in solidarity with the many victims and survivors that the system has failed over many, many years. 'And I can say that the horror, the trauma, the guilt never leaves you, and I so hope that every survivor who is identified here receives the mental health support and otherwise they deserve to rebuild their lives. 'Survivors have witnessed very many promises, 20 recommendations, and the call of 'never again', time and again. What will the Home Secretary do and how will she reassure them that this won't be another one of those examples?' He continued: 'I am really let down and disgusted that the leader of the Opposition began her remarks with a party political assault on her opponents like this. Victims and survivors deserve more than a smug 'I told you so', diatribe. Victims and survivors deserve action.' In her reply, Ms Cooper said his speaking out would help other victims and confirmed the Government wants to extend therapy available for victims. Later in the session, Mr Aldridge said: 'I want to pay tribute to victims, survivors and campaigners. I am 40 years old, and it has taken me to be 40 to be able to talk about some of the abuse that happened when I was a child. 'As one of the countless victims living with the impacts of grooming, sexual and psychological abuse, I found it galling to watch Tory and Reform members who never once lifted a finger.' In response to groans from the Opposition benches, he added: 'No, you didn't. You didn't.' Mr Aldridge accused opposition parties of 'appointing themselves as defenders of abuse for political gain', adding: 'Does the minister agree with me that neither history nor the British people will be kind to the sickening political opportunism we have seen from the parties opposite?' Ms Cooper thanked Mr Aldridge for 'speaking out about his experiences, because to speak out as a victim of child abuse in this way is immensely difficult, and I think everyone should listen to what victims and survivors have to say'. She added: 'He is right that this should be something that everyone can agree on, because it's about the protection of children, it's about the tackling of serious crime, and I would hope that is something that all of us can do with respect and together.' Elsewhere in the session, Naz Shah, Labour MP for Bradford West, said blaming 'entire communities' does 'nothing to protect innocent victims'. She said: 'British Muslims stand on the side of victims and support the full force of the law against all perpetrators of abuse. 'But would the Home Secretary agree with me that those that display selected outrage or fan the flames to blame entire communities do nothing to protect innocent victims or further the cause of victims?' In her reply, Ms Cooper said 'the horror at crimes committed against children and particularly against young girls' is 'shared right across communities'. 'It is in the interests of those children and of those victim survivors that we have reforms now,' she added.
BBC News
13 hours ago
- BBC News
Call for rethink of possible homes on Highworth ex-golf course
Councillors have called for a rethink of a decision to progress a proposal for housing on a former golf Conservative members of Swindon Borough Council used a rare protocol known as a call-in to ask the council to re-examine its decision surrounding land in Highworth, offered a number of reasons, claiming cabinet members admitted to not reading the report before voting and alleging council leader Jim Robbins failed to count the votes before announcing the Robbins said he was "stunned" by the claims, adding there was a video of him counting and cabinet had been included in conversations on the site. He said the Labour-run council understood "the passion" some residents felt for the site and the fact they were "resistant" to seeing potential housebuilding there."We are quite happy for local councillors to use their right to call-in the decision but we are very surprised by the reasons that they have chosen," Mr Robbins added. A call-in is a rarely used procedure whereby councillors can demand the ruling cabinet reconsider their decision if they feel protocols have not been properly Highworth residents groups and the town council want to see the land officially become a nature has been left for recreation since the golf course closed and a survey said it was home to 300 species of animals and land has been owned by councils since the looking at options, council officers recommended a plan for 700 homes, which would include some of the area set aside as a reserve. The council said it would help meet affordable homes needs and provide better returns for a council meeting, it was voted to progress these plans further, but more work is needed before a planning application is councillors who put forward the call-in not only listed ways in which they felt protocol had not been properly followed, but also said the cabinet had not fully considered other options, the history of the site or consulted the public Robbins said public questions in the meeting were extended from 15 minutes to two hours and said he would be happy to discuss the matter further at a scrutiny committee. He said the decision had been for a "pre-application discussion with the planning team" to take place, rather than a final decision on the homes."We are confident that we are taking the prudent action of getting as much information as possible before making a final decision on what to do with the golf course land, and will make a decision that we believe to be right for the people of Swindon," Mr Robbins added.
The Guardian
17 hours ago
- The Guardian
Suspended Tory MP denies sexually assaulting two women at London club
An MP faces trial over allegations he groped two women in one night while drunk at the Groucho private members' club in London. Patrick Spencer, the MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual assault at Westminster magistrates court on Monday morning. He was told the magistrate could deal with the case, but exercised his right to be tried by a jury in the crown court instead. The prosecutor, Polly Dyer, told the court Spencer was accused of touching the breasts of two women without their consent on 12 August 2023. She said the prosecution's case was that Spencer made an initial approach to one of the complainants that made her feel uncomfortable at about 8pm that evening. It was alleged he appeared intoxicated and insisted on buying her a drink, to the extent that she felt forced, and asked about her marriage. About four hours later on the same night, the prosecutor alleged, Spencer walked up behind the woman, put his arms beneath hers, and cupped her breasts over her clothing. The chief magistrate, Paul Goldspring, heard the woman was taken by surprise, that she did not know why he had done it, and had not consented. The court heard the prosecution's claim that the second complainant had given a similar account relating to the same night. It was alleged Spencer insisted she try a drink. In the hope it would make him relent without her having to be rude, the prosecutor said the second complainant took a sip. But Spencer put his arms around her, cupping her breasts, the court heard. The complainant removed his hands and the prosecution told the court she had not consented. Spencer became a Conservative MP in the general election the year after the incidents are alleged to have occurred. The Conservative party said he had been suspended and that the whip had been withdrawn with immediate effect. Spencer, who wore a suit and glasses as he sat in the dock, rose to enter his not guilty pleas. He opted for a trial before a jury and was bailed to attend Southwark crown court on 14 July.
