British prosecutors on Tuesday charged former Labour Party lawmaker Conor McGinn with one count of sexual assault, marking the culmination of a police investigation into an alleged incident that dates back to July 2022.
The charge, authorized by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), relates to a complaint made by a woman in 2022. Prosecutors said they concluded there was sufficient evidence to proceed and that bringing the case was in the public interest.
In a statement, the CPS said the decision followed a review of evidence gathered during a police investigation.
Jessica Walker, deputy chief crown prosecutor for CPS London South, said prosecutors determined that the legal threshold for charging had been met.
“The Crown Prosecution Service has authorized the Metropolitan Police to charge Conor McGinn with one count of sexual assault,” Walker said, adding that the charge was considered appropriate “in the public interest.”
McGinn, 41, is expected to appear in court next month, the CPS said.
McGinn represented St Helens North in northwest England and was first elected to Parliament in 2015. Following the filing of a formal complaint in 2022, the Labour Party suspended him as a member of parliament, pending the outcome of the investigation.
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He subsequently sat as an independent MP before standing down from Parliament at the 2024 general election.
Labour Party officials have previously said they do not comment on ongoing legal proceedings. The party has not issued a new statement following Tuesday’s charging decision.
McGinn could not immediately be reached for comment on Tuesday. There was no public response from his legal representatives at the time of publication.
Under British law, individuals charged with a criminal offense are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
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The charge brings the case into the judicial phase after more than two years of investigation. Legal experts note that the CPS applies a two-stage test before authorizing charges: whether there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction, and whether prosecution serves the public interest.
The Metropolitan Police said earlier that its role was limited to gathering evidence, with charging decisions resting solely with prosecutors.
McGinn’s court appearance next month is expected to set out procedural steps, including plea and trial scheduling.
The case adds to a series of high-profile legal proceedings involving British politicians in recent years, as police and prosecutors face increased scrutiny over how allegations against public figures are handled.