Tory MP is arrested over claims of sexual assault on woman, 29

TORY MP Andrew Bridgen was arrested yesterday on suspicion of sexual assault.

It is understood the 46-year-old MP for North West Leicestershire was arrested over allegations of assaulting a 29-year-old woman in central London in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Mr Bridgen is a married father of two, who entered Parliament at last year’s General Election, and is regarded as being on the right of the party.

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Scotland Yard said in a statement: “A 46-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of sexual assault against a 29-year-old woman at an address in SW1 in the early hours of this morning.

“He has been bailed to return on a date in mid-July.”

Police declined to confirm the identity of the arrested man.

Mr Bridgen and wife Jacqueline married in 2000 and have two sons, Alexander and Benjamin.

After training as an officer in the Royal Marines, he worked for his family’s gardening business and set up vegetable firm AB Produce with his brother in 1988.

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In the Commons, he is a member of the Regulatory Reform Select Committee.

Since winning the former Labour seat of North West Leicestershire with a majority of 7,511 in the May 2010 election, Mr Bridgen has attracted attention in the Commons as a campaigner against the Alternative Vote in the referendum on electoral reform.

A Tory party spokesman later said: “At the moment this is a matter for the police and it would be inappropriate to comment further until the facts are clear.”

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