MP Patrick Spencer 'groped breasts of two women' at London club, court hears

An MP groped the breasts of two women at a London club after pestering them to join him for a drink, a court has heard.

Patrick Spencer, 38, MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, is accused of drunkenly approaching the women from behind and putting his arms around them during a night out at London's Groucho club in August 2023.

Spencer was elected as a Conservative MP in 2024, while the alleged assaults were still under investigation, but was suspended from the Tory Party and had the whip withdrawn after the sexual assault charges were brought last year.

He denies touching the women's breasts.

The women did not know the man's identity but he was later identified by his image on the Parliament's website, Southwark Crown Court heard.

They both allege Spencer placed his hands on their breasts without consent, leaving them in shock, jurors heard.

Prosecutor Polly Dyer told the court the incident happened on 12 August, 2023, after guests at the Soho private members' club had enjoyed a musical performance and were drinking at the club's bar.

The first alleged victim said a man she did not know attempted to start a conversation with her and was "insistent she had a drink despite her saying no several times".

The prosecutor said: "She ended up sipping a drink he bought her, to appease him."

The woman added that the man was "animated" and appeared to have been drinking. She moved away from him but they crossed paths again when she returned to the bar, jurors heard.

Ms Dyer said: "The same male tried to talk to her again. She didn't want to talk to him and she had her back to him.

"She will tell you the male put his hands under her arms and touched her breasts.

"It took her completely by surprise, and she immediately moved away from him."

Spencer is accused of sexually assaulting a second woman a short time later after trying to talk to her and making her feel "uncomfortable".

Ms Dyer said: "She considered the male to be drunk. He was unsteady and slurring."

She also agreed to taker a sip of the drink the man provided for her to "appease him in the hope he would go away", jurors heard.

The court heard the two women told each other what had happened during their interactions with the same man, with Spencer then being confronted before he left the club shortly afterwards with a friend.

A report was made to police in August 2023 but Spencer was not identified as the man involved in the incidents until midway through 2024, the court heard.

A worker at Groucho went back through CCTV the night of the alleged incidents to go back through CCTV, identifying the moment the man arrived and matching it with Spencer's name in the sign-in book, the court heard.

Ms Dyer said the Metropolitan Police investigating officer had failed to realise in 2023 that Spencer's name had been provided by Groucho and "did not progress the investigation as expeditiously as he might have done".

The women involved were not asked to provide statements until early 2025, with Spencer questioned by police in March.

The MP said he had gone to the club with four friends and had spent around two hours there before he was asked to leave because he had "upset people who had asked for him to be removed".

Ms Dyer said: "He described his behaviour as being overly friendly but without any intent to upset anyone."

Spencer told police he had hugged a friend from behind and did the same to the two women believing they were part of the same group.

Ms Dyer added: "He described his behaviour as not appropriate in this day and age, specifically approaching someone from behind and putting his hands on someone he did not know.

"He said he had been drunk but not out of control. When told that the complainants alleged he had touched their breasts he said he was appalled that that's what happened, and it was inappropriate behaviour.

"He said it was not his intent to touch them inappropriately."

Spencer's defence is that he did not touch their breasts at all, she added.

Spencer denies two counts of sexual assault.

The trial continues.

(c) Sky News 2026: MP Patrick Spencer 'groped breasts of two women' at London club, court hears