A Conservative MP has been charged with three counts of sexual assault against two women.<\/p>\n
Charlie Elphicke, the MP for Dover, is alleged to have assaulted one woman in 2007 and a second woman twice in 2016.<\/p>\n
Mr Elphicke, 48, is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 6 September.<\/p>\n
A Crown Prosecution Service spokesman said it had made the decision to charge Mr Elphicke “after reviewing a file of evidence from the Metropolitan Police”.<\/p>\n
Mr Elphicke was suspended from the party in November 2017 after “serious allegations” against him were referred to police.<\/p>\n
But he had the whip reinstated in December 2018 for a vote of confidence in Theresa May.<\/p>\n
In a statement, the MP’s solicitor Ellen Peart said: “Charlie Elphicke has said from the outset that he denies any wrongdoing.<\/p>\n
“He will defend himself vigorously and is confident that he will clear his name.”<\/p>\n
Mr Elphicke has represented his constituency since 2010 and was a government whip from 2015 to 2016.<\/p>\n
Source: bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"