JavaScript is off. Please enable to view full site.

Senior British politician charged with sexual offences

Senior British politician charged with sexual offences

Wednesday, September 11, 2013, 12:47 GMT+7

LONDON – A deputy speaker of Britain's parliament has been charged with several counts of sexual assault as well as rape, authorities said on Tuesday.

Britain's Crown Prosecution Service said enough evidence had been gathered to prosecute Nigel Evans, a member of Prime Minister David Cameron's Conservative party, for eight offences.

Fifty-five year old Evans, who has been the MP for Ribble Valley in Lancashire in northern England since 1992 and was arrested twice earlier this year, has denied any wrongdoing.

"Lancashire Constabulary has ... been authorised to charge two counts of indecent assault, five counts of sexual assault and one count of rape relating to a total of seven alleged victims," the prosecution service said in a statement.

The assaults, dating from 2002 until 2013, were all on men.

Without citing sources, the BBC said Evans had resigned as deputy speaker but this could not immediately be verified.

Evans was detained in May on suspicion of rape and sexual assault but said the allegations were "completely false".

Police said he was arrested for a second time in June.

One of parliament's three deputy speakers since 2010, Evans' role includes keeping order during often fractious debates, calling on members to speak and enforcing the rules of the lower House of Parliament.

Evans, who told a newspaper in 2010 that he was gay, was vice chairman of the Conservative party from 1999 to 2001 and shadow Welsh Secretary for two years after that while the Conservatives were in opposition.

He is due to appear before Preston Magistrates Court on Sept. 18.

Reuters

More

Read more

;

Photos

VIDEOS

‘Taste of Australia’ gala dinner held in Ho Chi Minh City after 2-year hiatus

Taste of Australia Gala Reception has returned to the Park Hyatt Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City's District 1 after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Vietnamese woman gives unconditional love to hundreds of adopted children

Despite her own immense hardship, she has taken in and cared for hundreds of orphans over the past three decades.

Vietnam’s Mekong Delta celebrates spring with ‘hat boi’ performances

The art form is so popular that it attracts people from all ages in the Mekong Delta

Vietnamese youngster travels back in time with clay miniatures

Each work is a scene caught by Dung and kept in his memories through his journeys across Vietnam

Latest news