Charlie Elphicke: Ex-MP's 'sex assault victim was very distraught'

Charlie Elphicke is charged with three counts of sexual assault

A former deputy chief whip suggested counselling to a "very distraught" parliamentary worker who was "groped" by an ex-MP, a court has heard.

Charlie Elphicke, 49, is accused of assaulting the young woman in 2016.

Anne Milton told a jury the woman was "very upset" and said she later met with Mr Elphicke to discuss the allegations which he denied.

Mr Elphicke is on trial at Southwark Crown Court and denies three counts of sexual assault.

Giving evidence, former deputy chief whip Ms Milton said the woman was "very distraught, very upset, very tearful".

"She said she'd been the victim of unwanted sexual attention to summarise it," she said.

Ms Milton said the woman was so distressed she suggested she might seek counselling.

She said the woman told her Mr Elphicke has tried to kiss her, cup her breast, put his hand on her knee and leg and had given her unwanted sexual attention.

Ms Milton said the young woman felt scared of coming forward.

"She was acutely aware if she made a complaint she would never get a job in parliament because gossip gets around," she said.

'Shocked'

Ms Milton then had a meeting with Mr Elphicke, a recording of which was played to the court.

When the allegations, from six months earlier, against him were listed, he said: "She made no complaints, no allegations, this is the first I've heard of it.

"This is the first time I've ever had an allegation like this put to me. I'm shocked by this."

Asked if he had ever made sexual advances towards the woman, he said: "No, not that I know of."

When asked to clarify if that was a no or yes, Mr Elphicke replied: "No."

Asked if he believed the allegations were untrue or a misunderstanding of the situation, he said: "Not true."

The trial continues.