‘MP sang I’m a naughty Tory, then chased me like a sketch from The Benny Hill Show’
Elphicke appears in court accused of sexual assault of two women, one at home and one in Westminster
‘He was chanting in a sing-song way “I’m a naughty Tory” as though it was the school playground. He was very animated, excited and clearly enjoying himself ’
A FORMER Conservative MP chanted “I’m a naughty Tory” after groping a woman at his home while his wife was away, a court has heard.
Charlie Elphicke, 49, who represented Dover between 2010 and 2019, allegedly grabbed the woman’s breast after discussing his interest in bondage and whips.
The alleged victim said he then chased her round the room trying to smack her bottom in a manner that was later likened to a sketch from The Benny Hill Show.
Mr Elphicke is on trial at Southwark Crown Court accused of one count of sexual assault against the woman in 2007 and two further counts against a different woman in 2016.
Opening the case against him, Eloise Marshall QC, prosecuting, said the first charge related to an alleged incident that was said to have taken place at his home in 2007. She said the woman had been “flattered” when Mr Elphicke had invited her for a drink at his home and had then opened a £40 bottle of wine.
Ms Marshall told the court that Mr Elphicke had asked the woman questions about what she liked to do sexually with her boyfriend, and whether she liked “leather”.
The prosecutor said: “She says he said something along the lines of ‘he likes bondage and whips’.”
Ms Marshall said Mr Elphicke had then asked the woman to come closer so he could top up her glass. He then assaulted her on the sofa, reaching into her top to grope her breast and trying to kiss her, the jurors were told.
The prosecutor said: “She immediately shouted ‘no’. She was shocked. The whole incident was completely unexpected.”
Describing Mr Elphicke’s alleged behaviour immediately afterwards, Ms Marshall said: “He was chanting in a sing-song way, ‘I’m a naughty Tory, I’m a naughty Tory’, as though it was the school playground.” The alleged victim said he was “very animated, excited and clearly enjoying himself ”.
She said Mr Elphicke then chased her around the home, trying to smack her bottom. The jury was told the alleged victim “felt horrified by the entire situation”. Later she told another woman via telephone about what had happened, describing it as being “like a sketch from The Benny Hill Show”.
The court heard that he told police he had kissed her on the lips, but when she had said it was not what she had wanted he had immediately stopped, having been “taken by the moment”. However, he denied asking about silk and leather as the woman had alleged.
The jury also heard that Mr Elphicke completely denied the claim he had called himself a “naughty Tory” and had described the whole liaison as one of “regret”.
Ms Marshall told jurors that Mr Elphicke had claimed that the woman had asked for £5,000 compensation for the incident and that he had withdrawn cash in small amounts to avoid his wife finding out.
The second alleged incident took place in 2016 and involved a Parliamentary worker, the court heard. The alleged victim said she had been sharing a bottle of champagne with the MP in Westminster.
Ms Marshall said the woman claimed: “He fully came at me, pulled his body toward me. He had his face on [my] face. He had his mouth open, continually trying to kiss me. It was like a disgusting slobbery mess.”
The prosecutor said the woman “clearly rejected” Mr Elphicke, reminding him that he was married, and that there was a large age-gap. Mr Elphicke was said to have replied: “What’s the matter? Don’t you like me? Everything’s fine.” He later told the alleged victim: “I knew you’d bring my age into it.”
Ms Marshall told jurors that Mr Elphicke had been giggling and had said to the woman: “Oh, I’m naughty sometimes, aren’t I? I can be so badly behaved but I can’t help it.”
The court heard the woman later complained to the Tory whips’ office, telling Anne Milton MP, the Conservative deputy chief whip, of the allegations. But when confronted, he told Ms Milton that “nothing whatsoever had happened”.
Mr Elphicke was subsequently arrested by the police and denied both the 2007 and 2016 incidents.
The court also heard that Mr Elphicke had told police that he had no sexual attraction to the second complainant, and completely denied the incidents she described from 2016.
Mr Elphicke was supported in court by his wife, Natalie, who is the current Conservative MP for Dover.
The trial is scheduled to last for up to four weeks.