CCTV footage showing Conservative MP Patrick Spencer at the Groucho club has been presented to jurors in his sexual assault trial. Spencer, who represents Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, faces two counts of sexual assault, which he denies. The alleged incidents occurred in August 2023.
The footage, shown at Southwark Crown Court, depicts Spencer mingling at the exclusive members' club. In one clip, he is seen sitting on a sofa with others before using both hands to push a table away. He then appears to use the table for support as he stands and walks away.
Spencer told the court that on the day of the alleged assaults, he had lunch with his father, billionaire Conservative donor Lord Michael Spencer, and later watched a rugby match. He admitted to consuming alcohol, stating he drank wine at lunch and beers at the rugby, describing himself as "pissed." However, he asserted that he was still in control when he arrived at the Groucho club, calling himself "merry, but not out of control."
He was ejected from the club and took a rickshaw home, but was not informed of the reason for his removal. "It was bizarre, surprising," Spencer testified, adding that he assumed he had been "loud, loutish" or had bumped into someone.
The court heard that Spencer returned to the club the following week to collect a jacket he had left behind. During a police interview after being shown CCTV of the alleged incidents, Spencer referred to his actions as a "moment of complete stupidity." He stated he had not intentionally touched the women's breasts nor attempted to "cop a feel." He acknowledged that his actions "look leery" and conceded, "Yeah, it looks terrible." He expressed profound apologies to the two women involved.
One of the alleged victims testified that Spencer initiated a conversation while she was at the bar. She described the interaction becoming uncomfortable when he inquired about her marital status, feeling he was invading her personal space. She stated that Spencer insisted she take a cocktail, which she eventually sipped. According to her testimony, after she left to find her husband, Spencer followed her into a corridor. Later, as she was leaving the bar, she testified that Spencer came up behind her, put his arms through hers, and touched her breasts. She stated this contact was not consensual and that she moved away immediately. She later reported the incident to a friend, after which another woman came forward with a similar claim.
Under cross-examination, Spencer's defense barrister suggested he was behaving as if he had been drinking. The complainant disagreed that he appeared drunk but acknowledged he was "animated" and "outgoing." When presented with CCTV footage, defense counsel suggested Spencer made only minimal contact with her, questioning if he "barely touched" her. The woman refuted this, stating, "No, I pushed away from him, he did touch me." She maintained that Spencer did touch her breasts, describing the contact as lasting "for a millisecond" before she moved away. The defense suggested the CCTV did not show any contact, a claim the complainant denied, stating, "No I don't agree, he did touch me and you can see I pull away."