Conservative MP Patrick Spencer cleared of sexual assault | UK news

A Conservative MP has been cleared of sexually assaulting two women at the Groucho Club in London after claiming he only wanted to hug them.

Patrick Spencer was seen on camera coming up behind two women and putting his arms around them at a private members club during a night out in August 2023, less than a year before he was elected to the Central Suffolk and North Ipswich seat.

Spencer, 38, was accused of “cupping” the breasts of both women he did not know before “fist pumping” them at friends nearby.

During police questioning, Spencer apologized for grabbing the two women from behind, admitting it was “unacceptable in this day and age”. At his trial at Southwark Crown Court, Spencer claimed he did not touch one of the women’s breasts and that the contact with the other woman was unintentional.

He said his action after the second woman pushed him was because he was “embarrassed” for refusing to hug her, rather than celebrating groping her.

On Friday, after deliberating for just over seven hours, the jury found Spencer not guilty of two counts of sexual assault. The MP, who covered his face with his shaking hands as the verdicts were announced, burst into tears before hugging his wife Anna in court.

Following the verdict, Spencer said: “Our shared nightmare is now over. I have always maintained my innocence and today’s not guilty verdict brings to an end a very long and difficult chapter in my life.”

Spencer is the son of billionaire Conservative Party donor Michael Spencer. He told the court he drank red wine with his father at lunch, drank beer while watching England rugby at Twickenham and drank wine and negroni cocktails at the members’ club.

In his statement, he stated that he did not remember what happened in the middle of the hearing, insisted that he would not bother two women to drink with him, and asked one of them personal questions about her marriage.

The women told jurors they were left “shocked” after being grabbed by Spencer, with one saying she “froze” when she said her breasts had been touched.

The court heard Spencer described it as a “moment of utter stupidity” in his police interview but denied he was trying to “feel it”. He described himself as “overly friendly” and admitted to police: “Yeah, he looks awful.” But in court Spencer said he would never touch a woman’s breasts without her consent and disputed whether CCTV showed two sexual assaults.

Spencer was identified by Groucho Club staff after allegations of sexual assault were first made, but the Metropolitan police officer failed to pursue the investigation and did not even take statements from the women.

Following a complaint that the investigation had stalled, the Met carried out a review in early 2025 and brought in a new detective to collect statements and question the MP.

Met Commander Andy Day said: “We accept that this investigation fell short of the high standards we initially expected and have apologized to the two women who reported it.

“Our priority remains tackling violence against women and girls, so women in London can have full confidence that the Met will investigate reports thoroughly and quickly.”

Unable to obtain a witness statement, the police officer was investigated by the Met’s Professional Standards Directorate, but no disciplinary proceedings were initiated.

Following the decision, the Conservative Party handed the whip back to Spencer.