Tory MP Patrick Spencer found not guilty of sexual assault at London’s Groucho Club

Patrick Spencer, 38, was seen on CCTV coming up behind two women and putting his arms around them at the private members’ club during a night out in August 2023

MP Patrick Spencer wept with relief as he was acquitted by a jury of sexually assaulting two women at London’s Groucho Club, having maintained throughout that he simply wished to embrace them.

The politician, 38, elected as Conservative MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich in 2024, was captured on CCTV approaching two women from behind and wrapping his arms around them at the exclusive private members’ club during a night out in August 2023.

Mr Spencer faced allegations of “cupping” the breasts of both women before “fist pumping” in the direction of his nearby companions.

In his police interview, Mr Spencer expressed remorse for grabbing the two women – who were unknown to him – from behind, acknowledging it was “not acceptable in this day and age”.

However, when the case came before Southwark Crown Court, Mr Spencer maintained that he had not touched the breasts of one of the women, while any contact with the other had been entirely accidental and unintended.

He contended that the gesture he made after the second woman pushed him away reflected his feeling of being “mortified” at her rejection of his attempted hug, rather than any celebration of groping her.

Before his trial started at Southwark Crown Court, lawyers for Spencer asked for permission for jurors to be told about a diagnosis of autism.

In assessments conducted as he awaited trial, medical experts found Spencer was unable to read social cues and could be “overfamiliar” with friends and strangers.

His barrister, Eleanor Laws KC, said the reports, from a psychiatrist and a psychologist, could help the jury understand the MP’s behaviour that night, including the apparent “fist pump” he gave after grabbing hold of the women.

But Mr Justice Garnham blocked the evidence from the trial, ruling that it was not relevant to the question of whether Spencer had sexually assaulted the women.

Following more than seven hours of deliberation, the jury returned not guilty verdicts on both counts of sexual assault.

The MP buried his face in his trembling hands as the verdicts were read out, breaking down in tears before embracing his wife Anna in the courtroom.

Mr Spencer is the son of Lord Michael Spencer, a billionaire donor to the Conservative Party. The incidents at the Groucho Club took place on August 12 2023, prior to Mr Spencer having been elected to Parliament.

He told the court he had consumed red wine with his father over lunch, beers at Twickenham while watching an England rugby match, followed by wine and negroni cocktails at the members’ club.

Mr Spencer stated in evidence that he has no recollection of the incidents at the heart of the trial, yet maintained that he would not have badgered the two women to join him for a drink, nor posed personal questions to one of them regarding her marriage.

The women informed jurors they were left “shocked” after being grabbed by Mr Spencer, with one stating she “froze” when she claims her breasts were touched.

During his police interview, the MP described it as a “moment of complete stupidity” but denied attempting to “cop a feel”.

He referred to himself as “overfriendly”, with a “gregarious” personality, and acknowledged to police: “Yeah, it looks terrible”.

However, giving evidence in court, Mr Spencer firmly maintained he would never touch a woman’s breasts without consent and challenged whether the CCTV footage depicted two sexual assaults.

He described feeling “surprised” at being removed from the members’ club, though assumed it was for “being loud, clottish, knocked over someone’s glass or I had bumped into somebody”.

Mr Spencer was identified by Groucho Club staff following the initial sexual assault allegations, yet a Metropolitan Police officer neglected to pursue the investigation and failed to obtain statements from the women. Following a complaint regarding the stalled investigation, the Met carried out a review in early 2025 and assigned a fresh detective, collecting statements and interviewing the MP.

Met Police Commander Andy Day stated: “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.”

The officer who neglected to obtain witness statements was examined by the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards, though ultimately no disciplinary action was pursued.

Spencer received support in court from his wife Anna, and he became emotional when she testified in his defence, commending his abilities as a parent and characterising him as a “very nice man”.

He was stripped of the Tory whip following the sexual assault charges, and has served in Parliament as an independent while his trial proceeded.