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Charlie Elphicke is charged with three counts of sexual assault
An ex-MP modified his defence in his sexual assault trial after his spouse noticed texts he exchanged with a lady he was besotted with, a court docket heard.
Prosecutors say it was solely in Covid-19 lockdown Charlie Elphicke “realised [his] lies” might be disproved.
Mr Elphicke, 49, who denies three counts of sexual assault, is on trial at Southwark Crown Courtroom.
He instructed jurors he lied to police about his emotions for the parliamentary employee after he “misplaced his head”.
Mr Elphicke is accused of groping one lady in his house in 2007 and sexually assaulting a second complainant, the parliamentary employee he says he grew to become “besotted” with, twice in 2016.
The previous Tory MP for Dover stated he didn’t inform police about propositioning her as a result of he was involved his spouse Natalie would – wrongly – assume he was having an affair with the lady, aged in her 20s.
Mr Elphicke instructed jurors it was solely when his spouse was going over textual content messages between her husband and the younger lady throughout lockdown that she accused him of getting an affair, partly as a consequence of kisses on textual content messages and a reference to “cat cuddles”, he stated.
‘Pack of lies’
Eloise Marshall QC, prosecuting, described it as “a pack of lies”, citing solely three kisses in additional than 1,000 texts between them.
She instructed the father-of-two: “It was solely while you and your spouse went underneath lockdown you realised the lies you had instructed about (the parliamentary employee) might be disproved.
“You are boxed right into a nook and you have no different selection.
“It isn’t (the primary and second complainant) who’ve lied, it is you who’s lied.”
Mr Elphicke stated: “No, I did not – I did not sexually assault (both lady).”
The prosecutor additionally accused Mr Elphicke of utilizing his good friend, former legal professional common Dominic Grieve, to guard him when summoned to talk to senior get together figures concerning the allegations, with out telling Mr Grieve he had propositioned the parliamentary employee.
Mr Elphicke denies the suggestion.
The trial continues.