Iain Duncan Smith: Man charged with assaulting ex-Tory leader

Sir Iain Duncan Smith said he was attacked while walking to a meeting at the Conservative Party's conference

A man has appeared in court charged with assaulting former Conservative Party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith.

Elliot Bovill, 31, is accused of common assault against the senior MP in Manchester on or around 4 October 2021.

No further details of the offence were read out at Manchester Magistrates' Court and Mr Bovill did not enter a plea.

Sir Iain previously told The Spectator magazine he was struck on the back of the head with a traffic cone.

He said it happened as he was walking to a fringe event at the Conservative Party conference in the city.

A friend of the MP for Chingford and Woodford Green said he had been walking with his wife Betsy at the time and escaped without injury.

Mr Bovill, of no fixed address, was told the case was being moved to Westminster Magistrates' Court and was granted unconditional bail to appear again on 16 May.

Two other people have been charged in connection with the incident.

Radical Haslam, 28, of New Wakefield Street, Manchester, and Ruth Wood, 50, of Oak Tree Avenue, Cambridge, are accused of using threatening, abusive words or behaviour with intent to cause fear of or provoke unlawful violence.

Mr Haslam did not attend court. Ms Wood appeared by videolink and was also bailed until 16 May.

Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to [e-mail]