Judge: Ex-tory MP took part in ‘risky sexual behaviour for years’

ANDREW Griffiths engaged in “sexually risky behaviour for many years”, a judge overseeing private family court hearings has found.

Ms Griffiths raised concern about the amount of contact Mr Griffiths should have with the child – and made a series of allegations about how he had treated her when they were married.

Judge Elizabeth Williscroft made a number of findings of fact – on the balance of probability.

The judge heard that the Griffiths married in 2013 and that Mr Griffiths became an MP in 2010 and was a Government minister between January and July 2018. He resigned after a national newspaper reported he had sent a series of lewd messages to two women.

Ms Griffiths became MP for Burton in 2019. Judge Williscroft said she was sure that they had been a “glamorous couple”.

In 2010, Ms Griffiths found out that Mr Griffiths had been having a “long affair”. Ms Griffiths also discovered that Mr Griffiths had been sending “sexual texts” to “someone else” in 2011. Judge Williscroft said Mr Griffiths “described how he had engaged in what he described as sexually risky behaviour for many years, as he enjoyed it”. He told the judge that he had been “addicted to pornography”.

The couple separated after Mr Griffiths was “exposed” as having sent “kinky and depraved … sexual text messages” to two women constituents in July 2018.

Judge Williscroft concluded that Mr Griffiths’ “own needs” took “precedence” during the marriage. He had accused Ms Griffiths of “being frigid” in order to persuade her to “give in to his sexual demands”.

She said Mr Griffiths had “undermined” Ms Griffiths’ self-esteem. He accepted that he had called Ms Griffiths “fat and lazy”.

Ms Griffiths said rapes had begun while she was asleep.

Ms Griffiths, who gave evidence behind a screen at court hearings so she could not see Mr Griffiths, had also given accounts of “physical abuse”. The judge said she found those accounts “proved”.

Mr Griffiths said no assault had taken place.

Judge Williscroft said she “preferred” Ms Griffiths’ account.