Conservative MP Spencer cleared of sexual assault charges
A British MP has been acquitted of sexual assault and immediately restored to the Conservative parliamentary party, though the case holds no broader economic or market implications for the UK or Europe.
Patrick Spencer, the MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, was found not guilty of sexually assaulting two women at a London venue. A jury of eight men and four women at Southwark Crown Court cleared the 38-year-old politician after seven hours and six minutes of deliberations. He could be seen sobbing with relief and hugging his wife as the verdicts were returned.
The charges stemmed from a night out at the Groucho Club in August 2023, prior to Spencer entering Parliament. Prosecutors alleged he approached two women separately, insisted they accept a drink he had bought, and placed his hands on their breasts from behind. One woman said she "froze" during the incident, while the other said she felt "mortified."
Spencer admitted to being intoxicated but denied the assaults. He testified that he could not recall the encounters and would not have pestered the women for drinks. While CCTV showed him staggering, Spencer argued that any physical contact with one woman was accidental and that a subsequent fist-pump gesture was a reaction to being pushed away, not a celebration.
"I always maintained my innocence," Spencer told reporters outside the court. He thanked his legal team, his family, and his constituents, stating the verdict drew "a very long and challenging period in my life to a close."
The Conservative Party had removed the parliamentary whip from Spencer in 2025 after he was formally charged. Following his acquittal, the party immediately lifted his suspension, allowing him to return to the Conservative benches. His local association welcomed the decision, stating he had "never stopped working" for his constituents.
For European investors and markets, the verdict carries no material significance. The UK economy and corporate landscape remain entirely unaffected by the legal proceedings of a single opposition backbencher. The restoration of Spencer's voting rights does not alter the governing Labour Party's parliamentary majority or broader UK economic policy direction.
Det Insp Gavin Seeley of the Metropolitan Police said the authorities "have to trust that process and go along with what those males and females of the jury decided." Specialist prosecutor Busola Johnson added that the trial showed "our criminal justice system at work."
Spencer indicated his immediate focus is personal rather than political. "For the time being, I'm looking forward to getting home to see my kids and getting back to work representing my constituents," he said.
