A shamed former top Tory accused of groping two strangers should be suspended for eight weeks for his "completely inappropriate" behaviour, a long-awaited probe ruled.
Chris Pincher - who quit as the party's Deputy Chief Whip and was subsequently suspended following claims he drunkenly assaulted two men - abused his power as an MP, a Parliamentary watchdog said.
The eight-week recommendation is likely to trigger a by-election in yet another headache for Rishi Sunak. In a ruling published today, the Standards Committee ruled Mr Pincher's conduct was "was completely inappropriate, profoundly damaging to the individuals concerned, and represented an abuse of power".
The two victims - who did not know the MP before the night - said they were left traumatised by Mr Pincher's actions.
The scandal finally led to Boris Johnson's downfall last July, when Conservative MPs finally decided enough was enough. It emerged that Mr Pincher was appointed to the senior role overseeing party discipline despite No10 being aware of an official complaint about his prior behaviour.
No10 initially denied the PM knew about previous allegations, but was forced to admit this was not correct.
As the recommended suspension is over a 10 day threshold, it would mean another by-election looms if 10% of voters in his Tamworth constituency sign a recall petition.
The committee said: "Sexual misconduct of this nature, by a serving senior Member of the House in such a situation, also involves an abuse of power.
"Mr Pincher was the Government Deputy Chief Whip at the time and therefore in a position of significant power and authority."
The report branded his actions at the Carlton Club - a private members' venue in Mayfair - in June last year "unwanted, inappropriate and upsetting". It said the MP's behaviour was an "egregious case of sexual misconduct".
One victim told the investigation that Mr Pincher had stroked his neck and squeezed his bottom, while the second said the then-Tory whip had squeezed his testables.
Mr Pincher issued a statement at the time saying he “drank far too much… embarrassing myself and others” at London’s Carlton Club and would seek “professional medical support”.
It was the final straw for Tory MPs exhausted by months of sleaze and scandal, triggering mass resignations that eventually forced Mr Johnson to quit.
Mr Pincher had the Tory whip suspended last year, which means he has been sitting as an independent MP in recent months.
In documents published today, one of his alleged victims outlined the impact it had on him. The man, who has not been identified, wrote: "The incident with Mr Pincher has significantly impacted me.
"I have become increasingly anxious as a result of the incident, and I am now taking medication to manage my anxiety. I am also fearful about whether this incident will impact my job and future career plans.
"After the incident, I stopped exercising, which has resulted in my gaining a lot of weight. I have also been subject to rumours about the incident and speculation about my involvement."
Labour has called for Mr Pincher to step down with immediate effect.
Deputy leader Angela Rayner said: "Chris Pincher’s actions are shocking. But what’s even worse, is the way the Conservative party protected him - even promoting him despite a previous investigation into his conduct."
And she continued: "Chris Pincher should now do the decent thing and resign as an MP. The people of Tamworth and the surrounding villages deserve more from their Parliamentary representative."
The Tamworth MP has already announced he will not stand in the next General Election.
In April he said: “At the beginning of the year I let my friends and family know privately that I do not wish to stand for Parliament at the next General Election. I let the Conservative Party know then too.
“As I explained last year, I have been receiving professional medical support and I need to continue the process to improve my mental and physical health."
Mr Pincher held his seat in 2019 with a 19,364 majority, making it an attractive prospect for the Tories at the next election.
No10 originally claimed the PM was not aware of any "specific allegations" when he made Mr Pincher deputy chief whip in a February reshuffle.
But then No10 changed its tune to admit: “The Prime Minister was aware of media reports that others had seen over the years, and some allegations that were either resolved or did not progress to a formal complaint.”
Ministers also admitted Mr Pincher was investigated in late 2019 over alleged "inappropriate" behaviour.
A former top official then intervened, saying Boris Johnson was briefed in person on alleged wrongdoing by Mr Pincher.
In a dynamite letter Sir Simon McDonald, the former Head of the Diplomatic Service, said he had written to the Commissioner because No10 were “not telling the truth”.
