Rotherham peer Nazir Ahmed first to be recommended for House of Lords expulsion

The Rotherham-based peer resigned in November after reading the contents of the House of Lords committee’s report.

But legal complications hindered the full details of the investigation being published until today, when a judge at Sheffield Crown Court ruled that all proceedings against Ahmed relating to allegations of child sexual abuse dating back nearly 50 years should be halted – although that decision will be subject to appeal.

The Lords committee found that he assaulted a member of the public who was seeking his help in making a complaint to police over a faith healer she believed was exploiting people.

The report, published on November 17 before being approved by the House of Lords, found that he breached the code of conduct by agreeing to use his position as a peer to help the complainant but then:

– Sexually assaulted her on March 2 2017.

– Lied to her about his intentions to help her with a complaint to Scotland Yard about a faith healer exploiting men and women financially and sexually.

Standards commissioner Lucy Scott-Moncrieff said that Mr Ahmed exploited the woman “emotionally and sexually” despite knowing she was receiving treatment for “anxiety and depression”, in an aggravating feature.

Ms Scott-Moncrieff said he “persistently gave deliberately inaccurate and misleading accounts to conceal his behaviour” and also failed to co-operate with the investigation.

“He has failed to act on his personal honour, as evidenced by his dishonesty and lack of integrity,” the commissioner said.

In a statement issued through his lawyers at the time of the report’s publication, Mr Ahmed disputed the findings and said he would appeal.

He said: “I am extremely disappointed by the report of the conduct committee which is based on a flawed and unfair investigation process.

“I have always said, and maintain, that the allegations contained in the report are not true. Given this I am now going to continue pursuing my appeal to the European Court of Human Rights to remedy this injustice.”

The complainant alleged that after a dinner on March 2 2017, the peer put his hand on the top of her leg close to her “private parts” in a way described as “unexpected and unwelcome”.

She said the encounter “made me really uncomfortable” and that she “got really upset” by it.

Ms Scott-Moncrieff found that Mr Ahmed’s action that day “constitutes sexual assault”.

She also found that in July that year he invited the complainant to his house in London to discuss an offer made by police to meet her.

“However, he had no intention of forwarding her concerns to the police and his use of the letter to lure (the woman) to his house was dishonest,” the commissioner said.

The woman suggested he spiked her cup of tea when she arrived at his house on the first occasion, but the peer denied this and the committee was unable to make a firm conclusion.

The commissioner, however, concluded that it was most likely that Lord Ahmed “initiated the sexual encounter”.

Ms Scott-Moncrieff said: “Lord Ahmed lied to her by inviting her to his home to discuss the offer of a meeting with the police, when in fact his aim was to have sex with her.

“Lord Ahmed lied to her by continuing to hold out the prospect of a meeting with the police during their sexual relationship, despite having no intention of making any such arrangement.”

Mr Ahmed earlier appealed against the commissioner’s findings and the severity of the sanction, but did not deny that a sexual relationship took place, according to the report.

But the conduct committee, chaired by former Supreme Court justice Lord Mance, dismissed his appeal and recommended his expulsion.

The Pakistan-born property developer joined the Labour Party in his teens and was made a life peer in 1998.

But he resigned from Labour in 2013 after he was suspended by the party.