Prof Neil Ferguson resigns as government coronavirus scientist after ‘breaking lockdown rules to meet his married lover’

Professor Ferguson leads the team at Imperial College London that handed a bombshell piece of research to the government that said failing to take drastic action would cause 250,000 deaths and overwhelm the NHS.

It was a hammer blow to the government's initial hopes of defeating the virus by building "herd immunity" in the community.

But despite his support for the nationwide lockdown, Prof Ferguson failed to follow social distancing rules himself. Just last week he warned lifting the lockdown too early could risk an additional 100,000 deaths.

On at least two occasions, Ms Staats travelled across London to see the government scientist.

Her first visit, on March 30, coincided with a public warning by Prof Ferguson the lockdown measures would need to stay in place until June.

She made a second trip on April 8 despite telling friends she suspected her husband - an academic in his thirties - had coronavirus symptoms.

Prof Ferguson accepted he had made an "error of judgement and took the wrong course of action".

He told the Telegraph: "I have therefore stepped back from my involvement in Sage [the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies].

"I acted in the belief that I was immune, having tested positive for coronavirus, and completely isolated myself for almost two weeks after developing symptoms.

"I deeply regret any undermining of the clear messages around the continued need for social distancing to control this devastating epidemic.

"The Government guidance is unequivocal, and is there to protect all of us."

A Government spokesman confirmed Prof Ferguson had stepped back from his role.

Ms Staats and her husband live together with their two children in a £1.9million home but are understood to be in an open marriage.

She declined to comment.

Last month Scotland's chief medical officer, Dr Catherine Calderwood, was forced to resign after making two trips to her second home during the coronavirus lockdown.

And Cabinet Minister Robert Jenrick travelled 150 miles from London to his £1.1million home in Herefordshire — where he is now living with his family — after travel to second homes was banned.

The housing, communities and local government secretary later made a 40-mile trip to visit his elderly parents in Shropshire.