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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Andrew Bridgen MP denies sexual assault claim | Andrew Bridgen MP denies sexual assault claim |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| MP Andrew Bridgen, arrested on suspicion of sexual assault, has said allegations against him are "wholly false". | |
| The 46-year-old Conservative MP for North West Leicestershire was arrested on Thursday morning. | The 46-year-old Conservative MP for North West Leicestershire was arrested on Thursday morning. |
| Mr Bridgen postponed his surgery at Whitwick Community Coffee Shop on Friday afternoon. | |
| He has been bailed to a date in mid-July but the police stressed he had not been charged with any offence. | He has been bailed to a date in mid-July but the police stressed he had not been charged with any offence. |
| 'Real hurt' | |
| In a statement he said: "The allegations made against me are wholly false and without foundation. Fortunately, they are also demonstrably and provably false. | |
| "I have been happy to co-operate 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." | |
| An earlier statement, issued on the MP's behalf said he was planning to stay away from his constituency. | |
| It said: "Because of the high level of media interest, Mr Bridgen has decided to stay in London until at least next Friday and, as a result, regrettably, this afternoon's surgery at Whitwick Community Coffee Shop has been postponed." | |
| 'Witness exists' | |
| The married father-of-two was arrested in central London in the early hours of Thursday. | |
| The backbench MP and former Royal Marine, who entered Parliament last year, is accused of assaulting a 29-year-old woman, the BBC understands. | The backbench MP and former Royal Marine, who entered Parliament last year, is accused of assaulting a 29-year-old woman, the BBC understands. |
| Later on Friday, he said a video featured in the media, which was said to show the woman phoning police shortly after the alleged incident, "offered nothing new". | |
| He said: "The alleged content of this video offers nothing new, and merely repeats an assertion of which I am already aware. | |
| "This assertion, which is demonstrably and provably untrue, is not supported by the facts, to which a witness exists, namely that I was at no time alone with this woman and that no such assault took place." | |
| After training as an officer in the Royal Marines, he worked for his family's gardening business and set up a fruit and vegetable firm with his brother in 1988. | After training as an officer in the Royal Marines, he worked for his family's gardening business and set up a fruit and vegetable firm with his brother in 1988. |
| He won the marginal Leicestershire North West seat back from Labour in 2010 with a swing of nearly 12%, after the early death of Labour MP David Taylor. | He won the marginal Leicestershire North West seat back from Labour in 2010 with a swing of nearly 12%, after the early death of Labour MP David Taylor. |
| In the Commons he is a member of the Regulatory Reform Select Committee. | In the Commons he is a member of the Regulatory Reform Select Committee. |