Court told man woke up to find MP Nigel Evans’ hands ‘all over him’
A man woke up to find MP Nigel Evans’ “hands all over him”, a court has heard.
The man told Preston Crown Court today that the Ribble Valley MP sexually assaulted him while he was asleep on a sofa at Mr Evans’ house in 2009.
The complainant alleges Mr Evans put his hand into his boxer shorts as he slept in July 2009.
However, the man told jurors he had not been keen to report the matter to police.
The man said he had managed to have a normal relationship following the alleged assault and “came to appreciate the amusement of it”.
Jurors at the trial have heard suggestions that MP Dr Sarah Wollaston persuaded the alleged victim to go to the police
“She convinced me I had a duty of care to other people in Parliament,” he said.
The man denied a suggestion by Peter Wright QC, defending, that it was just a drunken pass and he had brushed away Mr Evans’ hand.
It was heard Dr Wollaston referred the matter to House of Commons Speaker John Bercow.
The court was told that Mr Bercow said because the alleged assault had not happened on the “parliamentary estate”, it was a matter for police.
The alleged victim told the court he had been “professionally uncomfortable” about reporting the assault.
When asked by Mr Wright if he had felt backed into a corner, the man answered “slightly”.
Yesterday, the court heard claims the then Tory chief whip Patrick McLoughlin was reluctant to take against Mr Evans’ alleged behaviour.
The court heard on Wednesday claims that Mr Evans indecently assaulted another man in a Soho bar.
Mr Evans denies the charge.
The MP denies two counts of indecent assault, six of sexual assault and one of rape.
The trial continues.
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