Ex-MP sang ‘I’m naughty Tory’ as he chased me round room Court told of ‘grope on the sofa’
A FUTURE Conservative MP smacked a woman’s bottom and tried to kiss her before chanting: “I’m a naughty Tory! I’m a naughty Tory!”, a court heard yesterday.
Charlie Elphicke then groped the woman’s breast and chased her around his kitchen like a “sketch from a Benny Hill Show,” she said.
The alleged assault took place in 2007 after Elphicke invited her to drinks at his home while his wife was away, jurors heard. He is also accused of twice assaulting a second woman in a similar incident in 2016 at Westminster.
Elphicke, 49, who was MP for Dover from 2010 to 2019 and a party whip in 2015/16, denies three counts of sexual assault. His wife Natalie, who succeeded him as Dover MP, stands by him.
The alleged victim of the 2007 incident, who was in her 30s at the time, told London’s Southwark Crown Court she was flattered by Elphicke’s invitation.
But she thought he was being “immature” when he asked if she enjoyed bondage, silk, leather and whips, the court heard.
She was filling her glass while sitting on a sofa when Elphicke suddenly assaulted her, it is alleged.
Eloise Marshall, QC, prosecuting, said: “He pushed her back by the shoulders, placed his knee between her legs and came down to give her a kiss with an open mouth.
“She moved her head to one side which resulted in him coming into contact with her cheek at the same time as he put his hand in to her V-neck dress and he reached in and grabbed her right breast and was squeezing it above her bra.
“She immediately shouted ‘no’ and pushed him off.” She ran away but Elphicke followed, Ms Marshall said. “He was chanting in a singsong voice, ‘I’m a naughty Tory, I’m a naughty Tory’ over and over again.
“She described him as clearly enjoying himself. He slapped her bottom. He followed her downstairs and continued to try and slap her bottom. By this point she had become scared.”
After leaving his house she was “distressed, almost hysterical” and phoned her sister. Ms Marshall said: “She recalls putting the phone down and thinking what an odd scenario of being chased around the kitchen with him slapping her bottom. She said it sounded ridiculous, like a sketch from a Benny Hill show.”
The next time she saw Elphicke he told her they should do it again, jurors were told. But she “made it clear she did not want to”.
Elphicke told police the woman became “tactile” while feeding chocolate stars into his mouth. He said he kissed her but immediately stopped when she said that was not what she wanted. He denied describing himself as a “naughty Tory” or talking about leather and silk, Ms Marshall said.
He also said the woman demanded £5,000 compensation, which he withdrew from the bank in small amounts because she did not want his wife finding out.
Meanwhile, the alleged victim in 2016 said she was in her “dream job” as a Parliamentary worker.
She claimed she was sharing a bottle of champagne with the MP when he suddenly kissed her with his mouth open. She told police: “It was like a disgusting slobbery mess.”
Ms Marshall said: “As he kissed her, he cupped her bra with his hand.This caused her to squirm and she pushed him away and she said it all happened very quickly. She felt like an idiot.”
As she went to leave, Elphicke allegedly grabbed her hands and tried to kiss her again, the court heard. Afterwards, he behaved “as if nothing had happened” but later giggled as he said: “Oh, I’m naughty sometimes aren’t I? I can be so badly behaved but I can’t help it,” Ms Marshall added.
Elphicke said he had not been attracted to the woman and denied the incident had taken place.
Both women came forward in 2017 after a list of MPs who had allegedly behaved “inappropriately” at Westminster was published.The trial continues.