MP groped breasts of two women, trial hears
PA MediaAn MP intentionally groped the breasts of two women at London's Groucho Club without their consent, a court has heard.
Patrick Spencer, MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, is accused of drunkenly coming up behind the women and putting his arms around them during a night out in August 2023.
Southwark Crown Court heard that neither of the women had met Spencer before and described him as being intoxicated before he came behind them and touched their breasts.
Spencer, who lives in Suffolk and was elected as an MP in July 2024, has denied two counts of sexual assault.
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Prosecutor Polly Dyer told jurors the incident happened on 12 August 2023 and that Spencer had "intentionally touched the breasts of two women, that it was sexual and without their consent".
The incidents happened after guests at the club had heard a musical performance and were drinking in its Soho bar, the court heard.
The first victim said a man she did not know tried to start a conversation with her and was "insistent she had a drink despite her saying no several times", Dyer said.
The court heard she had sipped on the drink he bought her "to appease him" and described the man as "animated" who had appeared to have been drinking.
She moved away from him, but they crossed paths again a short time later when she returned to the bar.
She did not wish to talk to him and turned her back to him.
"She will tell you the male put his hands under her arms and touched her breasts," Dyer said.
"It took her completely by surprise, and she immediately moved away from him," Dyer added.
PA MediaSpencer is accused of sexually assaulting the second woman a short time later.
"She considered the male to be drunk," the prosecutor added. "He was unsteady and slurring."
She had similarly sipped a drink he bought her "in the hope he would go away".
The prosecutor continued: "She will tell you at one point the male approached her from behind, reached his arms around her, and placed both his hands on top of her breasts.
"She was taken aback and peeled his hands from her," Dyer added.
PA MediaJurors were shown a slowed down version of CCTV of Spencer unsteady on his feet that night and of the moments he approached the women.
The prosecutor said Spencer had been with four friends and had made a hand gesture toward them after the incident.
He was then asked to leave the club after complaints were made, the court heard.
Dyer said that Spencer had described his actions "as being overfriendly, but without any intent to upset anyone".
He told police he had hugged a friend from behind and did the same to the two women, believing they were part of the same group.
He described his behaviour "as not appropriate in this day and age, specifically approaching someone from behind and putting his hands on someone he did not know".
"He said he had been drunk, but not out of control," Dyer added
"When told that the complainants alleged he had touched their breasts he said he was appalled that that's what happened, and it was inappropriate behaviour.
"He said it was not his intent to touch them inappropriately."
The prosecutor said Spencer's defence is that he did not touch their breasts at all.
Brian Farmer/BBCA report to the police was made in August 2023, but Spencer was not identified until midway through 2024.
The court heard a worker at the Groucho Club had gone back through the CCTV that night and matched his arrival with Spencer's name in the sign-in book.
Dyer said the Met Police's investigating officer failed to realise in 2023 that Spencer's name had been provided by the Groucho and "did not progress the investigation as expeditiously as he might have done".
The victims were not asked to provide statements until early 2025 before Spencer was questioned by police in March last year.
Spencer is a father of two, and the son of billionaire businessman and Tory peer Michael Spencer.
MPs who receive a custodial sentence of one year or more immediately lose their seat, unless there is an appeal.
If an MP receives a custodial sentence of less than a year a "recall petition" is triggered in their constituency.
Spencer was elected a Conservative MP in July 2024 and the party removed the whip in 2025, which means he now sits an independent MP.
The Groucho is a private members' club in Soho's Dean Street.
It opened in 1985 and became a well-known haunt of celebrities and media figures.
The trial continues.
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