Patrick Spencer, the former Conservative MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich who now sits as an independent, is accused of grabbing two women from behind and sexually assaulting them at London's Groucho Club in August 2023. One of the alleged victims described him as 'a bit of a pest' before the incident.
Woman Describes Shock and Discomfort
Giving evidence at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday, the first alleged victim said she was 'shocked' when her breasts were grabbed by a man who had persistently tried to engage her in conversation and buy her a cocktail. She told jurors: 'As I was leaving the bar with my drink, he put his arms through my arms and touched my breasts. I carried on walking, I was shocked, I carried on walking, I wanted to get away.'
The woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, said she had gone to the Groucho Club with her husband to see a musical performance on August 12, 2023. By around 11:30pm, she was at the bar ordering a drink when Spencer began talking to her. She said: 'He started talking to me, general chit chat, I can't remember how the conversation went, until he asked me: 'Are you married?' which I thought was a bit personal. That's when I thought I need to move away.'
She described Spencer as 'quite animated' and friendly but said when he started questioning her about her marriage, she 'felt like he was invading my personal space'. The court heard Spencer had four cocktails on the bar and was 'insisting' she try one. 'I didn't want one. He was very insistent, even though I said 'No' a number of times. He was very insistent and I felt I couldn't walk away until I had taken a sip of the drink,' she said.
Second Alleged Victim Says She 'Froze'
The second alleged victim told the court she believed Spencer was 'inebriated' when he tried to talk to her and 'pestered' her to try one of his drinks. She said: 'He was putting his arms around the shoulders, leaning in to us, making us both feel very uncomfortable.' Describing the alleged assault, she said: 'He came up behind me, grabbed my breasts, his hands were quite forcefully on my breasts. I couldn't move – I froze for a moment or two, then I pulled his hands away and made my exit.'
The first woman said she initially did not want to tell her husband about the groping for fear of how he would react. The second alleged victim said she joined them in a room and immediately said: 'Jesus, I've just been groped.'
Defense Argues Contact Was Minimal
Cross-examining the first woman, Spencer's barrister Eleanor Laws KC showed CCTV footage and argued that it demonstrated the defendant 'barely touched' her. The woman insisted there had been contact and she had 'pushed away from him'. She added that he touched her 'for a millisecond and I moved away when I felt a touch'. Under questioning about the video footage, she said: 'You can see him put his arms through. I had my back to him, so how would I know unless I've been touched.'
The court has heard Spencer was confronted about his behavior and asked to leave the Groucho Club. He was identified as the man in the CCTV the following year. Opening the case on Monday, prosecutor Polly Dyer said Spencer is accused of being 'unsteady on his feet' and slurring his words when trying to talk to one of the women.
CCTV Footage Shown to Court
CCTV from inside the Groucho Club has been played to the court, showing Spencer sitting with friends and walking around the bar area. The footage also shows him coming up behind one of the alleged victims and allegedly grabbing her breasts as he puts his arms around them, before she is seen to push his hands away. Spencer can then be seen making a hand gesture with his clenched fist as the woman walks away.
Spencer, 38, whose full name is Michael Patrick Spencer, was elected as a Conservative MP in the 2024 general election. He lost the Conservative whip after being charged with two counts of sexual assault and now sits as an independent. When interviewed by police, he described his behavior that night as 'overfriendly' but insisted he had not intended to touch either of the women 'inappropriately'. The court has heard Spencer denies two counts of sexual assault and denies touching the breasts of either woman.
The trial continues.
