Tory MP says reputation has been destroyed after sexual assault claim

‘I do not intend to let the matter rest’: Senior Tory MP claims his reputation has been destroyed after being falsely accused of sexual assault

• Julian Knight was suspended by Tory Chief Whip in December over accusation 
• Mr Knight, 51, has written to Met Police Commissioner to complain of false claim
• Read: Senior MP Julian Knight to stay away from Parliament after losing whip

A senior MP has launched an astonishing public attack on the Metropolitan Police following what he claims is an attempt by a third party to blackmail him over a false claim of sexual assault.

Julian Knight was suspended by the Tory Chief Whip in December after he was reported to the police over the allegation, forcing him to step aside as chairman of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee.

Now Mr Knight, 51, has written to Sir Mark Rowley, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, to complain that his reputation has been destroyed after being ‘widely and repeatedly publicly named as being suspected of a sex crime’.

The case follows a string of so-called ‘Pestminster’ scandals, which has led to calls for reforms to the culture at Westminster. Some critics have argued that the re-action to the abuses has led to an ‘over-correction’, under which false or exaggerated claims have led to MPs’ reputations being unfairly tarnished before they have been properly investigated.

Julian Knight (pictured) was suspended by the Tory Chief Whip in December after he was reported to the police over a claim of sexual assault

In his letter, Mr Knight, who has represented Solihull in the West Midlands since 2015, said that he had ‘incontrovertible proof of my innocence as well as clear doc-umentary evidence of a conspiracy to blackmail me using a false and malicious allegation’. It is understood that this relates to a cache of private messages which Mr Knight’s friends say ‘vindicates’ his version of events.

Mr Knight cites the recent accusations of sexism, racism and corruption which have dogged the Met, saying: ‘I am raising this at a time of considerable, and quite possibly unprecedented, reputational challenges to the Met.’

The MP, who says he is addressing the ‘conduct, operational procedures and probity of the Metropolitan Police’, writes that he has not been given ‘a scintilla of the protection of the anonymity rightly granted to complainants’, adding: ‘I am still being denied any opportunity to be interviewed under caution by your investigating officers. This is despite repeated requests from my lawyer for this to happen. All that has been disclosed to my lawyers is that your officers’ investigation is into a single complaint of a sexual nature against me.’

Mr Knight says that his evidence of innocence includes ‘a sworn statement by an independent third party referring explicitly to plans to make a false allegation against me. This affidavit, to which the signatory will testify in court, sets out motive for making such an allegation: it refers to a potential party to the accusation as using the phrase to the signatory – “Basically, it’s blackmail”.’

Now Mr Knight, 51, has written to Sir Mark Rowley (pictured), the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, to complain that his reputation has been destroyed

He adds: ‘I’m sure your officers will suggest that they have used the intervening two months searching for further evidence against me before intervewing me. I would suggest that such a modus operandus both contravenes natural justice and constitutes a waste of police time. I also believe that, were it not for the high-profile nature of my case, the obvious step of interviewing me under caution would been have been taken expeditiously.

‘The fact that I remain after two months a suspect without any chance to have his voice heard is due to the flawed and fundamentally unjust conduct of your officers’ investigation.’

And he goes on to warn: ‘Once this situation is resolved and my name is cleared, I do not intend to let the matter rest.

‘Rather, I shall be pursuing all legal means to achieve proper redress for the flawed handling of this matter by all involved. Naturally, I will also raise in Parliament all issues arising from it.’ Scotland Yard declined to comment.

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