MP’S aide denies raping woman in Westminster office
A WOMAN fled through the corridors of Westminster in tears after being raped by a Tory aide in an MP’S office, a court heard yesterday.
Samuel Armstrong, 24, who worked as chief of staff to Craig Mackinlay, the MP for South Thanet, allegedly attacked the woman in his office, after spending the evening drinking with her.
He then used his parliamentary pass to leave the building by a side exit, before sending the woman a message, telling her to text him if she had “any issues”.
Southwark Crown Court heard how Mr Armstrong and the woman had been drinking with others at the Sports and Social Bar in October last year.
Around 9.40pm they had gone to the roof garden terrace to listen to Big Ben chiming, before returning to the bar.
Later that night they had gone to Mr Mackinlay’s office in the Norman Shaw North building, where the woman – who is in her 20s – had fallen asleep.
Mark Heywood QC, prosecuting, said that Mr Armstrong had then begun kissing and touching the woman before asking her back to his flat. But he said that when she told him no, Mr Armstrong had repeatedly called her a bitch, before taking off her clothes and raping her twice.
Mr Heywood said: “She, in distress, walked and ran through the corridors of Westminster, eventually finding and telling cleaning staff what had happened.”
“He went out another way, using his pass and sending her messages, one of which suggested that he was concerned and that she contact him if she had ‘any issues’.”
Mr Armstrong, from Danbury in Essex, denies two counts of rape, one of sexual assault and one of assault by penetration on Oct 14 last year.
Jurors were told he claims what happened took place with “full consent”.
The trial continues.