Commons rape accuser ‘gave story to the Press’

A WOMAN who says she was raped in a Tory MP’s Commons office by his chief of staff told her boyfriend she was giving her story to the Press just hours after the alleged attack, a court heard yesterday.

Samuel Armstrong, 24, is accused of forcing himself on the young parliamentary intern in MP Craig Mackinlay’s office after a night of drinking in the Houses of Parliament. He allegedly held her ‘like a hostage’ and attacked her as she slept on the office sofa.

Yesterday Southwark Crown Court heard the woman, in her 20s, sent a message to her boyfriend on the same day, telling him the story would be appearing in a national newspaper. The court heard she wanted to ‘control’ what was published.

Sarah Forshaw QC, defending Armstrong, said the woman sent the text to her boyfriend at 5.21pm on October 14 last year. The alleged rape took place at 2am that day. The message said: ‘Keeping you in the loop. I have given it to Harry Cole who works for The Sun. It will either be in The Mail on Sunday or The Sun front page on Monday.’

She later sent another text: ‘The media already knew so this is my way of controlling it to ensure I get a sympathetic writer.’

‘I really, really didn’t want to’

Under cross-examination, the woman said she did not sell the story for money and it was a friend who briefed the Press.

Jurors were also played a recording of the distressed call she made to Commons police moments after emerging from Mr Mackinlay’s office.

In the call, she repeatedly breaks down, telling an officer: ‘I just had sex and I really, really didn’t want to.’

The jury was also shown clips of Armstrong and the woman walking around the Parliamentary estate before the alleged attack. The clips showed the pair walking through Westminster Hall and along the Colonnade South walkway before entering adjacent Portcullis House via an escalator.

They walked along a corridor before going to Mr Mackinlay’s office. The pair could be seen chatting with arms linked at 12.36am. The woman was later seen alone running away from Portcullis House at 2.06am appearing to be ‘in distress’.

Armstrong from Danbury, Essex, denies two counts of rape, one count of assault by penetration, and one count of sexual assault. The trial continues.