Prominent British lawmaker Crispin Blunt reveals he was arrested in connection with rape allegation
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Digital Subscription
One year of digital access for only $205*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/10/2023 (1085 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
LONDON (AP) — A prominent lawmaker within Britain’s governing Conservative Party revealed Thursday that he has been arrested in connection with a rape allegation.
Crispin Blunt, 63, said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he was arrested Wednesday and that he has twice been interviewed by police in connection with what he termed “this incident.”
Blunt, who has been a lawmaker since 1997 and a former minister, said he was first interviewed three weeks ago when he “initially reported” his concern over an unnamed “extortion.”
The second time, he said, was “earlier this morning under caution following arrest.”
He added that the arrest was “unnecessary” and that he remains “ready to cooperate fully with the investigation that I am confident will end without charge.”
“I do not intend to say anything further on this matter until the police have completed their inquiries,” he added.
Blunt’s statement came soon after Surrey Police said they had arrested a man Wednesday morning in the town of Horley, which is about 60 miles (about 100 kilometers) south of London, on suspicion of rape and the possession of controlled substances.
A spokesperson for the police said the individual “has been released on conditional police bail pending further inquiries.”
After Blunt identified himself, the Conservative Party suspended him pending the outcome of the police investigation, meaning he is now an independent. Blunt has previously announced that he won’t be standing again at the next U.K.-wide election, which has to take place by January 2025.
Blunt is the latest in a string of sitting lawmakers from across political parties to be arrested on allegations of sexual offenses. On Wednesday, another Conservative lawmaker was suspended from Parliament for six weeks after an investigation found he had bullied and been sexually inappropriate around a former staffer. The lawmaker, Peter Bone, has denied any wrongdoing.