What next for MP cleared of sexual assault?

The MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich has been cleared of sexual assault following a trial at Southwark Crown Court.

Patrick Spencer, 38, who lives in Suffolk, was found not guilty on Friday of touching the breasts of two women during a night out in London's Groucho Club in August 2023.

The politician denied the two counts of sexual assault and insisted during his trial he had not intentionally touched the women.

But who is the MP and how does he now move forward?

Spencer told reporters outside court that he had "always maintained" his innocence and the verdict drew "a very long and challenging period in my life to a close".

"I would like to thank the jury, the court, my legal team and most importantly, my incredible wife, children, family, friends and colleagues - whose support has been unwavering throughout," he said.

"I would also like to thank my constituents in Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, many of whom have reached out to offer their reassuring support.

"For the time being, I'm looking forward to getting home to see my kids and getting back to work representing my constituents," he added.

Spencer was elected as a Conservative MP in July 2024, but the party removed the whip in 2025 after he was charged with the offences.

Since then he had been sitting as an Independent MP, but the Conservative Party said after the verdict it had restored the whip and Spencer's suspension had been lifted.

The Central Suffolk and North Ipswich Conservative Association said it welcomed that Spencer had "been able to clear his name".

"During his time away from Parliament, Patrick has never stopped working for the people of Central Suffolk and North Ipswich and we know that now back in Westminster he will be an even more formidable voice for this area," they added.

Born in May 1988, Spencer is the son of businessman and long-time Conservative Party donor, Lord Michael Spencer of Alresford.

According to Forbes, his father has an estimated wealth of $1.4bn (£1.05bn) and had served as the Tory party's treasurer from 2006 to 2010.

Spencer was educated at Harrow School - a private boarding school for boys in London, whose alumni includes Winston Churchill.

He then studied at Leeds University and afterwards gained a master's degree from Georgetown University in the US.

Spencer's LinkedIn profile shows his first job was in 2010 when he worked in finance in a firm linked to his father.

Later he was a director of a family-owned private equity company for seven years and then worked for the Centre for Social Justice, a think tank formed by former Conservative Party leader Ian Duncan-Smith.

Spencer took his first step to becoming an MP in 2017 when he stood in the now abolished West Ham constituency for the Conservatives in that year's general election.

He finished second in the ballot, more than 36,000 votes behind the winning Labour candidate.

In 2020 he became a senior adviser to the secretary of state for education for three years under the Conservative government, before he then eyed the 2024 general election.

Standing for the Tories again in the Central Suffolk and North Ipswich constituency, he took the seat with a majority of 4,290.

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