Married former Tory MP Charlie Elphicke groped woman in 2007 then chased her around his home like 'something from a Benny Hill sketch' shouting 'I'm a naughty Tory' and trying to spank her, court hears
A former Conservative MP chased a woman around his house attempting to kiss and grope her while screaming 'I'm a naughty Tory, I'm a naughty Tory.'
Charlie Elphicke was 'animated' and 'enjoying himself' as if he were taking part in a 'school game' as he pursued the woman while attempting to slap her behind.
Southwark Crown Court was told that prior to that Elphicke admitted to her that he liked 'bondage and whips' and bombarded the woman with questions over her sexual preferences and if she liked silk and leather as they shared a bottle of wine.
Details of the incident, which allegedly took place in 2007 three years before Elphicke became an MP, were revealed to jurors at Southwark Crown Court at the start of Elphicke's trial.
Former Conservative MP Charlie Elphicke (pictured alongside wife Natalie Elphicke outside Southwark Crown Court) is alleged to have pursued the woman after trying to kiss her at his home, Southwark Crown Court heardThe former MP for Dover, 50, is accused of a sexual assault against the woman in 2007 and two assaults against a different woman within a week of each other in 2016. He has pleaded not guilty to both.
Recounting the 2007 incident Eloise Marshall QC told the court that Elphicke and the woman, who cannot be identified, were having a drink while his wife was away on business.
She said that the two initially sat in the garden but then moved into his living room and sat on a sofa, where he opened a '£40 bottle of wine.'
Ms Marshall added: 'What happened next was very quick. He placed his knee between her legs, he was directly above her and tried to kiss her.'She moved her head back. He then put his hand into her dress, reached in and grabbed her right breast and started squeezing it.'
The court heard that the woman then jumped up, resulting in father of two Elphicke chasing her around the house.
Ms Marshall described it as a sketch out of a Benny Hill show but told the court that the incident was anything but lighthearted.
The woman became so distressed that she was forced to lock herself in a room, fearing for her life as Elphicke stood outside, continuing to scream: 'I'm a naughty Tory.'
The court heard that he finally calmed down and went away, enabling the woman to leave the house. She called a taxi and went to her boyfriend's house, where she immediately told him what had happened.
The court heard Elphicke was subsequently arrested by police.
He said of the 2007 incident that the woman was feeding chocolate stars into his mouth then she became 'tactile'.
He said he kissed her on the lips and she 'responded positively', but she then said it was not what she wanted so he 'immediately' stopped.
The former MP went on to say that he was 'taken by the moment' and denied asking about silk and leather, as previously alleged.
The woman claimed she was forced to lock herself in a room after the former MP allegedly tried to kiss her
Elphicke (pictured outside court) told the police that the incident in 2017 was a 'regret'
He also 'completely denied' describing himself as a 'naughty Tory', the prosecutor said.
Elphicke told police the incident was a 'regret'.
The prosecutor said the young woman 'reiterated' to Elphicke why the pair could not have a romantic relationship, and said she had no intention of doing so, adding: 'I'm not changing my mind.'
Ms Marshall said: 'It appears Charlie Elphicke was oblivious she didn't want anything to do with him.Charlie Elphicke is treating this as all one big joke.
'He's using that 'I'm so naughty' approach to get away with his behaviour.'
She went on to tell jurors Elphicke said the woman asked for £5,000 compensation for the incident, which he took out from the bank in smaller amounts because the woman did not want Elphicke's wife Natalie to find out.
Addressing potential jurors, judge Mrs Justice Whipple told them the defendant was the former Conservative MP for Dover in Kent and had been charged with sexual assault.
The judge asked them whether they have 'strong views' about politicians, the Conservative Party, or the Me Too movement, which might prevent them from sitting on the jury.
The court heard that the second alleged attack in April 2016 took place in a Parliamentary building as Elphicke shared a bottle of champagne with a female Parliamentary worker in her early 20s.
The former MP's wife Natalie Elphicke (pictured) replaced him as MP for Dover last November
Ms Marshall said that the drink had been arranged following a crucial debate on an immigration bill followed by Prime Minister's Questions, which Elphicke was concerned about.
As he drank champagne with the young woman, he 'suddenly lunged at her' and 'forcibly kissed her on the lips,' which the victim described to police as a 'disgusting, slobbery mess.'
Elphicke is then alleged to have put his hand down her dress and 'groped her breast.'
Ms Marshall told the jury: 'The victim squirmed and pushed him away. She felt like an idiot.'
The court heard that Elphicke's response was to ask her 'what's the matter, don't you like me?'
Distressed by the incident, the woman left the office and walked to a nearby Tube station with Elphicke, who tried to kiss her again, telling her: 'I'm naughty, sometimes, aren't I? I can be so badly behaved, but I can't help it.'
The jury heard that the woman was fearful that if she complained against Elphicke then it could have jeopardised her career, but she confided in a number of friends about what had taken place.
Ms Marshall said: 'She was worried about what he (Elphicke) was going to do because she had clearly rejected him.'
The trial, before Mrs Justice Whipple is expected to last four weeks with both Elphicke and his wife Natalie giving evidence as well as around a dozen other witnesses.
Elphicke represented the Conservatives from 2010 until November 2017, when he was suspended from the party after the allegations of sexual assault were referred to the police.
Last November, he was replaced as MP for Dover by his wife Natalie Elphicke who was then elected to represent the constituency with a 12,000 majority at the General Election.
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