Daily Mirror

MP PHONE SEX STING.. HOW MANY MORE?

Security fears as police step up search for honeytrapp­ers

- BY DAVE BURKE Political Correspond­ent david.burke@ mirror.co.uk @DaveBurke1­2

SCOTLAND Yard launched a honeytrap probe after a Tory MP said he was pressured into sharing colleagues’ numbers.

Several Labour and Tory MPs, Parliament­ary staff and journalist­s received flirtatiou­s messages from a mysterious number.

Two politician­s are understood to have sent X-rated pictures.

Now MPs who believe they have been targeted are being urged to contact police, amid fears there may be more victims.

Foreign Affairs Committee chairwoman Alicia Kearns said she fears the scam could be the work of foreign spies.

MP William Wragg admitted he was scared when a stranger he met on dating app Grindr demanded details of MPs, Westminste­r staff and journalist­s.

The Met said it is liaising with Leicesters­hire Police, which was already investigat­ing an allegation that an MP had been targeted.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said: “The events of the last few days have been a great cause for concern. The MP involved has given a courageous apology.

“But the lesson here for all MPs is that they need to be very careful about cyber-security.”

EXPLICIT

Scotland Yard confirmed it is in contact with Leicesters­hire Police and Parliament­ary Security “following reporting of unsolicite­d messages to members of Parliament”.

On Wednesday, the Politico site reported that six men had been contacted by people identifyin­g themselves as “Charlie” or “Abi”.

They claimed to have previously spoken to their victim, before becoming flirtatiou­s and sending explicit images. Mr Wragg, MP for Hazel Grove in Greater Manchester, told The Times he exchanged pictures with a stranger.

He admitted he passed on some numbers after being pressured by the scammer, adding: “They had compromisi­ng things on me. They wouldn’t leave me alone.

“He’s manipulate­d me and now I’ve hurt other people.”

Treasury minister Gareth Davies said of Mr Wragg yesterday: “He is continuing as a Conservati­ve MP and it’s right that there’s an investigat­ion into what happened.

“He has rightly apologised and, as I say, that’s a matter for Will Wragg and the party generally.”

They would not leave me alone and now I have hurt people

WILLIAM WRAGG WAS TARGETED BY SCAMMER

 ?? ??
 ?? ?? APOLOGY MP William Wragg
APOLOGY MP William Wragg
 ?? ?? INVESTIGAT­ION Gareth Davies
INVESTIGAT­ION Gareth Davies
 ?? ?? SCAM MPs are among those to be targeted
SCAM MPs are among those to be targeted

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