A politician who made an “unwanted sexual advance” to a teenage staff member is not fit to be an MP and should stand down, his victim has said.
SNP MP Patrick Grady is facing a two-day suspension from the Commons after he was found to have breached Parliament’s sexual misconduct policy.
The man he targeted, who was 19 at the time, said he is “bitterly disappointed” at the “lenient” sanction.
He also criticised the SNP’s handling of the situation, saying he has been made to feel as though it is his fault, and said his life has been a “living hell”.
Investigators examined the behaviour of Mr Grady, who was 36 at the time, towards the then-19-year-old party staff member at a 2016 SNP social event while “under the influence of alcohol”.
A report into his conduct said that the Glasgow North MP “made an unwanted sexual advance to the complainant that included the touching and stroking of the complainant’s neck, hair, and back”.
The recommendation that he should be suspended for two days came from the Independent Expert Panel (IEP), which looks at cases of sexual misconduct.
The victim, who is not being named to protect his identity, told the Daily Record: “I’m bitterly disappointed at such a lenient sanction.
“It is not only devastating to me but also to other victims of sexual harassment.
“He needs to stand down as he is not fit to be an MP.”
I am profoundly sorry for my behaviour— Patrick Grady MP
The IEP said the former chief whip’s behaviour marked a “significant breach” of Parliament’s sexual misconduct policy in a ruling on Tuesday.
In a personal statement to the Commons, Mr Grady said: “I am profoundly sorry for my behaviour and I deeply regret my actions and their consequences.”
The complainant, now aged 25, said that “the SNP has made me feel like it’s my fault” and described the party’s treatment of him as “bullying”.
He told the newspaper: “Since making the complaint, it has been a living hell.
“I was punished by the party as a whole.
“Not any single individual but I think as a collective I’ve been punished.”
In his statement to the Commons, Mr Grady accepted that on October 20 2016 at a SNP social event he “made an inappropriate physical advance to a junior member of SNP group staff”.
He added: “My behaviour and the intent behind it was a significant breach of the behaviour code and sexual misconduct policy for the UK Parliament.
“The breach is aggravated by a considerable disparity in age and authority between myself and the complainant and further aggravated by excessive consumption of alcohol on my part.
“I was wrong to make assumptions about the social and personal relationship that existed or had potential to exist between myself and the complainant, and wrong to act on those assumptions.”
Mr Grady stood aside as chief whip after the complaints were formally referred in May 2021.
It is understood Mr Grady has been suspended from the SNP until his parliamentary suspension has been completed after the group met to consider the report on Tuesday evening.
The SNP has been approached for comment on the newspaper article.
