Ex-MP ‘groped woman’s breast and chased her round house chanting “I’m a naughty Tory” like a “Benny Hill sketch”’
AN ex-Tory MP groped a woman’s breast and then chased her around his kitchen chanting “I’m a naughty Tory” like a “Benny Hill” sketch, a court heard.
Charlie Elphicke, 49, is accused of sexually assaulting the woman while his wife Natalie Elphicke was away.
The victim, who was in her early 30s, was said to have been "distressed, almost hysterical" after the ex-Dover MP allegedly felt her breast and tried to kiss her, Southwark Crown Court heard.
She was originally "flattered" when Elphicke - 36 at the time - had invited her to share a drink with him in 2007.
He opened a bottle of £40-wine and began asking her about her sexual interests, including if she liked "lace and leather", and saying he liked "bondage and whips";, jurors were told.
Prosecutor Eloise Marshall QC said Elphicke was alleged to have told the woman to come towards him so he could top up her wine glass.
'I'M A NAUGHTY TORY'
He then assaulted her on the sofa, reaching into her top to grope her right breast and trying to kiss her, the court heard.
The prosecutor said: "She (the alleged victim) immediately shouted: 'No!'
"She was shocked. The whole incident was completely unexpected.
"He was chanting in a sing-song way: 'I'm a naughty Tory, I'm a naughty Tory', as though it was the school playground."
The alleged victim said he was "very animated, excited and clearly enjoying himself".
He was chanting in a sing-song way: 'I'm a naughty Tory, I'm a naughty Tory', as though it was the school playground.
Eloise Marshall QC
She said Elphicke chased her around the home, trying to smack her bottom.
The jury was told the alleged victim "felt horrified by the entire situation".
She was said to have telephoned a friend about what had happened, with the incident being described as sounding "like a sketch from The Benny Hill Show".
The woman was also said to have phoned her brother after the incident, who described her as sounding "distressed, and almost hysterical".
Elphicke denies three counts of sexual assault - one against the woman in 2007, and two counts against another woman in her early twenties on two occasions in 2016.
'DISGUSTING SLOBBERY MESS'
The woman in her twenties said she found herself in Elphicke's company sharing a bottle of champagne in Westminster when he allegedly assaulted her.
She explained: "He had his face on (my) face.
"He had his mouth open, continually trying to kiss me.
"It was like a disgusting slobbery mess."
The prosecutor said the woman "clearly rejected" Elphicke, told him he was married, and that there was a large age gap.
Elphicke was said to have replied: "What's the matter? Don't you like me? Everything's fine."
He had his mouth open, continually trying to kiss me. It was like a disgusting slobbery mess.
Victim
He later told the alleged victim: "I knew you'd bring my age into it."
Ms Marshall told jurors he also said to the woman: "Oh I'm naughty sometimes, aren't I?
"I can be so badly behaved but I can't help it."
The woman, who works in Westminster, is alleged to have reported the incident to Anne Milton MP, the Conservative deputy chief whip, in 2016, before contacting police the following year.
The court heard Elphicke was called in to speak to Ms Milton but "completely denied" anything that the woman had alleged against him - sexual assaults or any other behaviour.
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Elphicke was elected MP for Dover in 2010 and held the seat until standing down at the general election in December 2019.
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He was accompanied to court by Mrs Elphicke, his successor as Dover MP.
The trial continues.
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