Conservative Member of Parliament Patrick Spencer wept in the dock on Tuesday as his wife testified to his character during his trial for two counts of sexual assault.
Spencer, the MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, is accused of sexually assaulting two women at the exclusive Groucho club in London on August 12, 2023. He has denied deliberately touching either complainant's breasts or intending to touch anyone sexually.
Appearing at Southwark Crown Court, Spencer stated that his behavior on the night in question was "wildly misjudged" and "ultimately inappropriate" but maintained he never acted with sexual intent. He told the jury that he had consumed alcohol throughout the day, watching rugby and then attending the private members' club, admitting he was drunk but "not out of control."
CCTV footage reviewed in court showed Spencer stumbling at times. He described the atmosphere in the club as upbeat and celebratory. Spencer said he was later asked to leave the venue and did not retrieve his jacket until several days later, an incident he found "bizarre" and "surprising" at the time.
He told the court that he had previously stated to police that he "hugged lots of people that night" and embraced the complainants from behind, placing his arms around one woman's waist and his hands on the second woman's hips. When shown footage relating to the second complainant, Spencer acknowledged that his hand appeared to have made contact with her breast, stating, "It looks like [my hand] made contact with her breast." He explained that she then moved his arms away.
Spencer described himself as a "tactile and huggy" person, asserting that his actions were a result of being overly friendly rather than sexually motivated. "I was just being over friendly, overzealous and overenthusiastic," he said. He recalled looking embarrassed after the incidents, believing his friends had witnessed a "mortifying moment."
In a police interview in March 2025, Spencer had accepted that approaching someone from behind and placing hands on them without a close relationship was "not acceptable in this day and age." However, he maintained that any contact with a woman's breast would have been accidental and not sexually motivated. He told the interviewing officer, "I'm a gregarious person, interested in people... my intention would have always been friendly in nature."
Wife's Testimony
Spencer's wife, Anna Spencer, testified that she had reviewed the CCTV footage and was aware of the allegations. She described her husband as "kind," "gentle," and "compassionate," stating that in 20 years of marriage, she had never known him to inappropriately touch, look at, or make sexual remarks about any woman. She characterized him as a thoughtful husband and a devoted father.
"He's just a really nice man," she told the court. "I chose to marry him because he's not that man" [implying a man who would pose a threat to women walking home alone]. When asked if the CCTV footage had caused her to reconsider her testimony, she replied, "Never."
Mrs. Spencer acknowledged that her husband could be socially awkward and sometimes misread social situations, noting his facial expressions could be "a little odd." She also stated that they shared virtually no political views. She added that while he might be tactile and extroverted, this did not equate to promiscuity, emphasizing that he "wants everybody around him to be happy."
Spencer, a father of two, studied at Leeds University and worked in public policy before being elected to Parliament in 2024. He lost the Conservative whip after being charged with sexual assault. The trial is ongoing before Mr. Justice Garnham.