A Conservative MP who was arrested for sexual offences and indecent assault has not stepped foot in the House of Commons for more than a year, it was revealed this weekend.
Reports in the Sunday Times show the MP has been largely absent from parliament ever since he was formally detained by the Met Police in May of last year.
The MP has denied any wrongdoing and is on bail, which has been extended five times. He has not been charged.
Under an agreement with Tory chief whip Chris Heaton-Harris, the MP in question has stayed away from Westminster and has not voted or spoken in the Commons since.
But his constituents do not know he is being probed or that he has agreed to stay away from the estate, according to The Times reports.
The MP, who was not publicly identified when he was arrested, said: “I have on no occasion visited the parliamentary estate since May 17, 2022, and continue to respect the agreement not to come in.”
He described the arrangement as a “gentlemen’s agreement”.
Related: Selby, Somerton and Uxbridge by-elections: Key statistics
