This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/mar/17/nigel-evans-improper-approach-senior-tory-jury

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Nigel Evans admitted making 'improper' approach, senior Tory says Nigel Evans admitted making 'improper' approach, senior Tory says
(about 4 hours later)
The Conservative transport secretary told a young man who accused Nigel Evans of sexual assault that it was a "huge demand" for the alleged victim to demand Evans step down as an MP as punishment, a court has heard. Josh Halliday
Patrick McLoughlin, now the secretary of state for transport, told a jury at Preston crown court on Monday that he did not think allegations of sexual impropriety made against Evans in 2009 were serious enough to end his political career. A senior Conservative told a young man who accused Nigel Evans of sexual assault that it was a "huge demand" for the alleged victim to ask that he step down as an MP, a court hasheard.
In 2009 McLoughlin chaired a meeting with a young politics student, then 23, who accused Evans of making what McLoughlin described on Monday as improper sexual approaches. Patrick McLoughlin, now the transport secretary, told a jury at Preston crown court on Monday he did not think allegations of sexual impropriety made against Evans in 2009 were serious enough to end his political career.
The young man, now 28, is one of seven men who accuse Evans of sex crimes. None of the alleged victims can be named for legal reasons. Last week the complainant told the court he had been sexually assaulted by Evans at the politician's house in the Ribble Valley, where Evans has been MP since 1992. He claimed Evans had put his hands into the younger man's boxer shorts and groped his genitals. In 2009 McLoughlin chaired a meeting with a politics student, then 23, who accused Evans of making what McLoughlin described on Monday as improper sexual approaches.
Giving evidence for the prosecution on Monday, McLoughlin said the complainant began the meeting by demanding that Evans stand down and not contest his seat at the 2010 general election. The transport secretary said he considered that a "big ask". The man is one of seven who have made allegations against Evans. Last week the complainant told the court he had been sexually assaulted by Evans at the politician's house in the Ribble Valley, where Evans has been MP since 1992. He claimed Evans had put his hands into his boxer shorts and groped his genitals.
"He was asking him to give up his entire parliamentary career on the basis of what, as far as I could see, was a misunderstanding," McLoughlin told the jury, saying later that he told the alleged victim that asking Nigel not to contest the next election was a "huge demand". None of the alleged victims can be named for legal reasons.
McLoughlin said he had never been told the physical details of the alleged attack but was under the impression "improper sexual approaches had been made". Asked whether he would have considered the matter differently had he known the extent of the allegations – specifically that Evans had, uninvited, touched the man's penis – he said he didn't know whether he would have advised the complainant to go to the police. Giving evidence for the prosecution, McLoughlin said the complainant began the meeting by demanding that Evans stand down and not contest his seat at the 2010 general election. The transport secretary said he considered that a "big ask".
In the event, McLoughlin said Evans admitted making the "improper" approach, saying things had "got out of hand". "He was apologetic about that," said McLoughlin, who insisted he told the victim that he was "free" to go to the police if he wanted to take the matter further, but that the young man eventually seemed content with an apology from Evans. "He was asking him to give up his entire parliamentary career on the basis of what, as far as I could see, was a misunderstanding," McLoughlin told the jury, saying later that he told the alleged victim that asking Evans not to contest the next election was a "huge demand".
McLoughlin said he warned Evans to be very careful in future about who he socialised with and urged him to consider coming out as gay. Asked why, he said: "My thinking was that he had got himself into an awkward situation and it would be best to be open about these sort of things." McLoughlin, who was chief whip at the time, said he had never been told the physical details of the alleged attack but was under the impression "improper sexual approaches had been made". Asked whether he would have considered the matter differently had he known the extent of the allegations – specifically that Evans had, uninvited, touched the man's penis – he said he didn't know whether he would have advised the complainant to go to the police.
John Randall, who in 2009 was the assistant chief opposition whip, said the "insinuation" from the alleged victim at the meeting was that Evans had a drink problem exacerbated by his "repressed sexuality". In the event, McLoughlin said Evans admitted making the "improper" approach, saying things had "got out of hand".
"He was apologetic about that," said McLoughlin, who insisted he told the victim that he was "free" to go to the police if he wanted to take the matter further, but the young man seemed content with an apology from Evans.
McLoughlin said he warned Evans to be very careful about who he socialised with and urged him to consider coming out as gay.Asked why, he said: "My thinking was that he had got himself into an awkward situation and it would be best to be open about these sort of things."
John Randall, who in 2009 was the assistant chief opposition whip and was also at the meeting, said the "insinuation" from the alleged victim at the meeting was that Evans had a drink problem exacerbated by his "repressed sexuality".
He told the court he was under the impression Evans had simply made a drunken pass at the complainant rather than a serious assault demanding a police investigation.He told the court he was under the impression Evans had simply made a drunken pass at the complainant rather than a serious assault demanding a police investigation.
"We regarded it was a disciplinary matter not a criminal matter but we left it open so that that form of recourse was possible," Randall said, adding that the whips offered to act as mediators between Evans and the younger man."We regarded it was a disciplinary matter not a criminal matter but we left it open so that that form of recourse was possible," Randall said, adding that the whips offered to act as mediators between Evans and the younger man.
Michael Fabricant, MP for Lichfield and the vice chairman of the Conservative party, formerly a senior Tory whip, also appeared as a prosecution witness on Monday. He considered the 2009 allegation against Evans as being out of character, he told the jury. He said that at the time of the complaint he was busy co-ordinating a byelection so did not get involved beyond arranging the subsequent meeting with McLoughlin, Randall and the alleged victim. Michael Fabricant, MP for Lichfield and vice-chairman of the Conservative party, formerly a senior Tory whip, also appeared as a prosecution witness . He considered the 2009 allegation against Evans as out of character, he told the jury. He said at the time of the complaint he was busy co-ordinating a byelection so did not get involved beyond arranging the subsequent meeting with McLoughlin, Randall and the alleged victim.
Also at that meeting was Iain Corby, managing director of the Parliamentary Research Unit, a pooled research facility for Conservative MPs. He told the jury on Monday that Evans was advised to address his drinking as a result of the complaint, which he subsequently did. Later , the trial heard from another man who alleged that he was groped by the MP while drinking at the Strangers Bar in the House of Commons.
For example, he said that after Evans was elected deputy speaker of the House of Commons in May 2010 he instigated his own rule of never drinking alcohol before going in to the Speaker's chair. "I see him vigorously enforce that rule," said Corby. The alleged victim told the court that Evans "reached out and grabbed my genitals" during a group conversation about what he did as an MP. The man said he exclaimed: "No, that's not cool" and brushed Evans' hand away before walking away and making a joke about the incident with his friend. "It was a funny situation. I'm a straight male but that sort of thing should not happen but occasionally it does happen, so you have to be jovial about it," he told jurors.
One of the MPs involved in the group conversation was former MP Lembit Opik, the court heard, who later told the jury he did not see any physical contact between the young man and Evans.
Giving evidence from the witness box, Opik said that during the night in May or June 2010 he had been called a "fucking dickhead" by the young man after forgetting to buy him a drink.
Iain Corby, managing director of the Parliamentary Research Unit, a pooled research facility for Conservative MPs, was also at the meeting with McLoughlin. He told the jury that Evans was advised to address his drinking as a result of the complaint, which he subsequently did.
He said that after Evans was elected deputy speaker of the House of Commons in May 2010 he instigated his own rule of never drinking alcohol before going in to the Speaker's chair. "I see him vigorously enforce that rule," said Corby.
He told the court that the complainant and Evans appeared to remain good friends who were "mutually supportive of each other" after the alleged assault, perhaps bonded by their shared sexuality.He told the court that the complainant and Evans appeared to remain good friends who were "mutually supportive of each other" after the alleged assault, perhaps bonded by their shared sexuality.
"I would say they had something in common by both being gay … they had a closer bond than the average employer/employee," he said, stressing that he never thought the pair were in a relationship."I would say they had something in common by both being gay … they had a closer bond than the average employer/employee," he said, stressing that he never thought the pair were in a relationship.
Evans denies raping and sexually assaulting a 22-year-old student at his constituency home last year, as well as seven counts of indecently or sexually assaulting six other men.Evans denies raping and sexually assaulting a 22-year-old student at his constituency home last year, as well as seven counts of indecently or sexually assaulting six other men.
The case continues.The case continues.