Cabinet Minister Asked Johnson To Help Tory Lawmaker Charged With Sexual Assault - Reports

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd August, 2020) A cabinet minister tried to convince UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to help then-Tory lawmaker Charlie Elphicke after the latter had been charged with sexual assault, The Guardian reported on Monday, citing sources and adding to questions about the manner the party handled the years-long case.

Last week, Elphicke was convicted of three counts of sexual assault against two women. The politician, who is facing a prison term, will be sentenced in mid-September.

According to the newspaper, Elphicke succeeded in getting a cabinet minister in November raise his case with Johnson, saying that "he was being unfairly treated" and "had no idea why he was being investigated."

"He successfully lobbied one of Boris [Johnson's] .

.. cabinet ministers, who raised it and said: 'We should do something, prime minister, to help Charlie," a source said.

Johnson was purportedly "initially sympathetic," but another cabinet member urged him against intervening and he appeared to have followed the advice.

The newspaper says the whole story has already cast doubt over the manner that the Tory leadership handled Elphicke's case. The Women's Equality party, for instance, has called for the minister who reportedly lobbied on Elphicke's behalf to be fired.

After sexual assault claims were reported to police, Elphicke was suspended from the party in November 2017 only to be reinstated in December 2018. He did not run in the December 2019 elections, and his wife succeeded him as member of parliament for Dover.