Tory MP Andrew Bridgen denies sexual assault after arrest

On Friday, Andrew Bridgen “vigorously” denied any wrongdoing. He said that he was co-operating with the Metropolitan Police but would be making no further comment.

The 46-year-old North West Leicestershire MP was arrested in the early hours of yesterday morning after police received a complaint of sexual assault from a 29-year-old woman.

In a statement, he said: “The allegations made against me are wholly false and without foundation. Fortunately, they are also demonstrably and provably false.

Photo courtesy of UPPA/Photoshot

“I have been happy to cooperate fully with the police and I am completely confident that, after proper investigation, I will be fully exonerated.

“This has caused real hurt and distress to my friends and family, and must be a concern to my constituents.

“I am naturally angry that I have been targeted in this mischievous and damaging way, and I will be taking advice about this. But I would like to thank my constituents and colleagues for the many messages of support that I have received.”

Mr Bridgen is a married father-of-two, who entered Parliament after last year’s general election.

Scotland Yard said in a statement yesterday that a 46-year-old man had been arrested “on suspicion of sexual assault against a 29-year-old woman at an address in SW1” and added: “He has been bailed to return on a date in mid-July.”

Police declined to confirm the identity of the arrested man. A spokesman indicated that the address in SW1 – the London postcode which includes Westminster – was not the Houses of Parliament.

A Conservative spokesman said: “At the moment, this is a matter for the police, who are investigating, and it would be inappropriate to comment further until the facts are clear.”

Mr Bridgen and wife Jacqueline were married in 2000 and have two sons.

Since winning the former Labour seat of North West Leicestershire with a majority of 7,511 in the May 2010 election, Mr Bridgen has attracted attention in the Commons as a campaigner against the Alternative Vote in the referendum on electoral reform.