MP Accused of Sexual Assault at Groucho Club
Patrick Spencer, MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, is currently on trial at Southwark Crown Court facing two counts of sexual assault. The allegations concern incidents that occurred during a night out in August 2023 at the Groucho Club in London.
One of the women involved testified that she never gave Spencer consent to touch her breasts and described his behaviour as intrusive, referring to him as a "bit of a pest".
According to the prosecution, Spencer approached two different women from behind, put his arms around them, and touched their breasts without consent. Spencer, aged 38, who resides in Suffolk and was elected as an MP in July 2024, denies all charges.
First Victim’s Testimony
During the trial, the first woman gave evidence from behind a screen. She described Spencer's initial conduct as "animated and friendly" but said he soon began asking personal questions about her marital status.
"I felt I wanted to move away, he was invading my personal space,"
she told the court.
"I said I was married and my husband is here. I felt he was getting too familiar asking me personal questions,"she added.
CCTV footage shown in court captured Spencer at the Groucho Club on the night in question.
The woman recounted that as she attempted to distance herself, Spencer followed her into an alcove to continue the conversation despite her expressing a desire to find her husband. She said Spencer had four cocktails at the bar and was "very insistent" that she also have one.
She stated she did not know who Spencer was at the time and described him as "being a bit of a pest".
"I felt I could not walk away unless I took a sip of the drink,"she said.
Afterwards, she went to find her husband, and the alleged sexual assault occurred later when she returned to the bar.
Details of the Alleged Assault
The court heard that Spencer came up behind the woman, put his arms through hers, and placed one hand on each of her breasts.
"I was shocked, I carried on walking, I wanted to get away,"
she said. When asked by prosecutor Polly Dyer if she had consented to the contact, she responded,
"Not at all."
Initially, the woman did not disclose the incident to her husband due to concerns about his reaction.
Shortly after, another woman entered the courtroom and testified that Spencer had subjected her to similar conduct.
Following these incidents, Spencer was confronted about his behaviour and asked to leave the club. He was later identified in the CCTV footage the following year.
Spencer has consistently denied the allegations.
Courtroom Proceedings and Defence
The jury was shown the CCTV footage depicting the moments of the alleged incidents.
Spencer’s defence counsel, Eleanor Laws, questioned the first woman about the speed and nature of the contact. When asked if Spencer had "barely" touched her, the woman replied,
"No, because I pushed away from him."
She explained that she would not have been aware of the contact had she not been touched.
Second Victim’s Account
The second woman testified that she believed Spencer was "inebriated" and had "pestered" her to try one of the drinks he had purchased. She described freezing when Spencer, whom she did not know, cupped her breasts.
"He came up behind me, grabbed my breasts,"
she told the jury.
"His hands were forceful on my breasts... I couldn't move."
She managed to push him away and then moved away from Spencer. When questioned by the defence about the placement of Spencer’s hands, she responded,
"I don't want him to touch my breast in any manner."
Spencer’s Statement and Defence Position
On Monday, the court heard that Spencer told police after the incidents that his behaviour was "not appropriate for this day and age."
The prosecution stated that Spencer’s defence is that he did not touch either woman.
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