Tory MP Spencer cleared of Groucho Club sexual assaults
A UK Conservative MP has been acquitted of sexual assault after a trial that exposed significant failings in the initial Metropolitan Police investigation.
Patrick Spencer, the Conservative MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting two women at a London private members' club. A jury at Southwark crown court cleared the 38-year-old of two counts of sexual assault after just over seven hours of deliberation.
The charges stemmed from an evening at the Groucho Club in August 2023, less than a year before Spencer was elected. CCTV footage showed Spencer approaching two women from behind and putting his arms around them. The prosecution alleged he "cupped" the breasts of both women, who were strangers to him, before making a fist-pumping gesture towards friends.
Spencer, the son of billionaire Conservative party donor Michael Spencer, testified that he had consumed red wine, beer, and cocktails throughout the day and could not recall the specific encounters. He told the court he merely intended to give the women a hug and that any contact with their breasts was unintentional. He described his subsequent gesture as a reaction to being "mortified" by the rejection of his advance, not a celebration.
The two women told the jury they were left "shocked" by the incident, with one stating she "froze" when her breasts were touched. During his police interview, Spencer had conceded his actions were a "moment of complete stupidity" and "not acceptable in this day and age," admitting he was "over-friendly."
The trial's conclusion does not end the scrutiny surrounding the case, which revealed serious operational failures by London's Metropolitan Police. After the initial allegations, a responding officer failed to take statements from the two women, causing the investigation to stall entirely.
The force only revived the case following a complaint, conducting a review in early 2025 that assigned a new detective to gather statements and question Spencer. Commander Andy Day said: “We acknowledge that this investigation initially fell below the high standards we would expect, and we have apologised to the two women who made reports. Our priority remains tackling violence against women and girls, so women in London can have full confidence in the Met to investigate reports thoroughly and quickly.” The officer responsible was investigated internally but faced no disciplinary action.
Following the verdict, Spencer broke down in tears in the dock and embraced his wife. "Our shared nightmare is now over. I have always maintained my innocence, and today’s not guilty verdict draws a very long and challenging period in my life to a close," he said. The Conservative party subsequently restored the parliamentary whip to Spencer.
