Suspended Tory MP Patrick Spencer has denied two counts of sexual assault allegedly carried out at central London’s Groucho club.
Spencer, the MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, allegedly cupped the breasts of two women over their clothes at the famous private members’ club on an evening in August 2023.
The 37-year-old appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday, where he confirmed his full name – Michael Patrick Spencer – and date of birth before pleading not guilty to the offences.
Prosecutor Polly Dyer told the court that the first complainant “felt Mr Spencer put his arms under her arms” before he “cupped her breasts over the clothing”.
Of the second complainant, the prosecutor alleged “he moved behind her and also cupped her breasts with his hands over clothing”.
Ms Dyer added that neither woman consented to the alleged touching.
The court heard a complaint was made to the Groucho Club and a report made to the police, with Spencer interviewed by officers earlier this year.
He is due to appear at Southwark Crown Court on July 14.
Lawyers acting for the MP have previously said he “categorically denies the charges” against him, adding: “He has co-operated fully with the police investigation from the moment he became aware of it and he will defend the allegations robustly in court.”
The politician, who lives in Suffolk, was suspended from the Conservative Party and had the whip withdrawn after the charges were brought.
Spencer was first elected to Parliament last year with a majority of 4,290.
Prior to entering Parliament, he worked in finance for private equity firm IPGL, a company chaired by his father, former Conservative Party treasurer Lord Michael Spencer.
He later took a job at the Centre for Social Justice think thank and then becoming a senior adviser at the Department for Education.
He made his maiden speech in the Commons in July last year during a debate on the MPs’ code of conduct relating to second jobs, during which he said the “most important thing to the people across my constituency” was “restoring a sense of moral probity and public spiritedness to our political system”.
Spencer made an application to have his home address withheld from the court which Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring granted.
The order is set to be revisited at the politician’s crown court appearance.
