MP’s chief of staff cleared after ‘crucial evidence’ is disclosed

A CONSERVATIVE MP’s chief of staff has claimed he was cleared of raping a woman in his boss’s office after “crucial evidence” was disclosed just days before his trial.

Samuel Armstrong, 24, insisted he had consensual sex with the parliamentary worker, who is in her 20s, after a night drinking in the Houses of Parliament.

South Thanet MP Craig Mackinlay’s senior aide, inset, wiped tears from his eyes yesterday after he was found not guilty of two counts of rape, one of sexual assault and one of assault by penetration, after a twoweek trial at Southwark Crown Court.

“My whole life has been turned upside down. For a year I have not slept or eaten, and I was innocent,” he said outside court. “Were it not for the fact that crucial evidence was disclosed to my defence team just eight working days before trial, there could well have been yet another miscarriage of justice in this case.” His comments come after Scotland Yard announced a review of every one of its sex crime investigations where a suspect has been charged, following the collapse of two other rape prosecutions in a week. The CPS offered no evidence against both Liam Allan, 22, and Isaac Itiary after the late disclosure of evidence that could have assisted the defendants. The detective in charge of both cases has been removed from active duty as the Metropolitan Police urgently review about 30 sex cases due to go to trial.

Armstrong and his lawyers refused to elaborate on what evidence he was referring to. A Met spokesman said: “We are content with the investigation and our disclosure work, which was conducted in liaison with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).”

The court heard the complainant initially refused to give police access to her mobile phone and medical records.

In messages recovered from her phone, she said she had contacted a journalist just hours after the alleged attack to secure a “sympathetic” write-up, while her medical notes revealed details of a history of mental health issues, including depression and anxiety.

Armstrong, from Danbury in Essex, has been suspended from his job since the allegations arose.