Patrick Spencer MP not guilty of sexually assaulting women at private members' club

Patrick Spencer has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting two women at a private members' club in London.

The MP, who was elected as a Conservative representative for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich in 2024, 38, broke down in tears as he was cleared by a jury of sexually assaulting two women at London's Groucho Club.

He was accused of coming up behind the women and putting his arms around them, "cupping" their breasts, at the club during a night out in August 2023.

During his police interview, Mr Spencer apologised for grabbing hold of the two women, who were not known to him, conceding it was "not acceptable in this day and age".

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At the trail, he argued he had not touched the breasts of one of the women, while contact with the other woman's had been accidental and unintentional.

The court also heard he had "fist-pumped" towards his friends after touching the women, but he said this gesture was because he was "mortified" she had rejected his hug, rather than celebrating the contact.

The jury deliberated for over seven hours before finding Mr Spencer not guilty of two counts of sexual assault.

Mr Spencer, with shaking hands, broke down as the verdicts were delivered before embracing his wife, Anna, in court.

Following the verdicts, the MP said in a statement: “Our shared nightmare is now over.

"I have always maintained my innocence, and today’s not guilty verdict draws a very long and challenging period in my life to a close.

"I would like to thank the jury, the court, my legal team and most importantly, my incredible wife, children, family, friends and colleagues – whose support has been unwavering throughout.

"I would also like to thank my constituents in Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, many of whom have reached out to offer their reassuring support.

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"For the time being, I’m looking forward to getting home to see my kids and getting back to work representing my constituents."

Mr Spencer is the son of Lord Michael Spencer, a billionaire donor to the Conservatives.

The incidents happened before Mr Spencer was elected as an MP, on August 12, 2023.

He told the court he had drunk red wine at lunch, beers at a rugby match and then wine again and cocktails at the members' club.

While he said he could not recall the incidents, he insisted he would not have pestered the women to join him for a drink or ask them personal questions.

In the police interview, the MP called it "a moment of complete stupidity", but said he did not try to "cop a feel".

Mr Spencer described himself to police as "overfriendly", with a "gregarious" personality, and conceded: "Yeah, it looks terrible."

Giving evidence in court, however, he insisted he would never touch a woman's breasts without consent.

He disputed whether the CCTV footage showed him committing two sexual assaults.

Mr Spencer told the court he was "surprised" to be ejected from the members' club, but had assumed at the time it was for "being loud, clottish, knocked over someone's glass or I had bumped into somebody".

Staff at the Groucho Club identified Mr Spencer after the sexual assault allegations were first made, but the Metropolitan Police officer initially assigned to the case failed to progress the investigation and did not take statements from either woman involved.

Following a complaint that the case had stalled, the Met carried out a review in early 2025 and brought in a new detective, who went on to gather witness statements and question the MP.

Met Police Commander Andy Day said: "We acknowledge that this investigation initially fell below the high standards we would expect, and we have apologised to the two women who made reports.

"Following concerns around the pace of the investigation, it was reviewed in March 2025 and following leadership by a new investigation team, charges were authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service within three months.

"We conducted a further wider review to understand any steps which were missed in the initial investigation which is reflected the Met’s new victim-centred sexual offences policy.

"Our priority remains tackling violence against women and girls, so women in London can have full confidence in the Met to investigate reports thoroughly and quickly."

Mr Spencer lost the Tory whip after being charged with sexual assault and has since sat in Parliament as an independent MP while awaiting trial.

GB News has reached out to the Conservatives for comment.

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