KENT COUNTY, MI -- A 71-year-old part-time Kent County sheriff's deputy had a minor wound after he accidentally shot himself in the hand during firearms training. The first change has been that the Crown Prosecution Service has now specified for prosecutors that, in dealing with cases of fentanyl, they need to take into account the potency of this drug. That said, it's difficult not to see, at best, a naivete in Natalie's attitude to the nature of her husband's crimes: she later became one of three Tory MPs suspended from the Commons for a day as punishment for trying to influence a judge who presided over his trial, and also supported his failed appeal in March against his two-year jail term which she said was 'excessive'. Elphicke was suspended from the Conservatives in November 2017 after he was accused of sexual offences against two members of his staff but had the Conservative whip reinstated prior to a December 2018 confidence vote in Theresa May. 'We used to go to on holiday together, swimming, have a meal or go to the theatre. At times, his bravado and coarse behaviour took their breath away, including on one occasion at Elphicke's Belgravia townhouse, when Les caught him with another woman in the marital bedroom during a family party. Her voice cracking, she says: 'Charlotte has the same birthday as me, so on my birthday I always think about her. [37][38] After he lost his appeal in March 2021, she was reported as having ended the marriage. His deceit was continual when the third woman complained about what had happened to Conservative Party whips, Elphicke lied and lied again, first to senior Tory Party members then to police and his wife, calling the allegations 'appalling and untrue'. [80], On 12 December 2018 Elphicke had the Conservative whip reinstated prior to a confidence vote in Theresa May. But few will have been driven to the kind of explosive fury that she has for hers. [4] He was summoned back to magistrates court for non-payment of the 35,000 costs order awarded at his original trial; he claimed to be unable to pay, stating that I have no job, I have no career, I am long-term unemployed, and that he was living in a rented one bedroom flat and claiming Universal Credit. Disgraced ex-Tory MP Charlie Elphicke jailed for 2 years for sex attacks on women - after wife left him over conviction GOT a story? Then he pounced on her, kissed and groped her, before chasing her around the house chanting 'I'm a naughty Tory' and slapping her bottom in a scene described as being straight out of a Benny Hill sketch. They are encouraged to bring expert witnesses into the court room in order to explain how this drug operates, and how a tiny quantity of it can have the potency of heroin or cocaine in a larger quantity. It's a world away from Westminster, and their son-in-law's swanky Belgravia home, where, says Mrs Pears, tempers would often boil over, often fuelled by Elphicke's drinking. 'This was the perfect break for her, the chance to set up a new life on her own . Axing tax breaks, simplification, a 10p business tax rate and international tax reform can and would make our tax system fairer and more competitive. [84] The Conservative Party again withdrew Elphicke's whip later that day. Elphicke subsequently wrote 'Tariffs Would Cost Europe Dear', a paper in which he argued that tariffs would be more harmful to the EU than the UK due to the higher level of exports to the UK. Charles Brett Anthony Elphicke[2] (born 14 March 1971) is a British former politician, former solicitor and convicted sex offender. 3, he said, led to a situation where he 'lost his head' after becoming besotted by the 'amazing' younger woman's 'vitality and smile'. Elphicke read law at the University of Nottingham before working as a solicitor. Mrs Pears, however, continues to pray for a turnaround: 'Natalie is sensible, I hope she has the strength and it would be better for the children to have one parent who is not associated with this type of behaviour.'. Pro and anti-migrant protestors face off in Dover in latest clash over Channel crossings that saw 45,000 United Arab Emirates now has the most powerful passport in the world after jumping 32 spots under new Do not sell or share my personal information. [78], In November 2017 it was reported that Elphicke had been suspended from the Conservative Party after "serious allegations" made against him were referred to the police. [15] She was elected as the MP for the seat at the 2019 general election with a majority of 12,278. The 49-year-old, who represented Dover from 2010 to 2019, was accused of three counts of sexual assault against the women, and stood trial at Southwark Crown Court in London.. 'I wanted Natalie to be happy. One can see how, perhaps, a wife with almost saintly forbearance might feel she is helping to rehabilitate a troubled husband by getting him back on his feet. Complaining about his 'unhappy marriage', Elphicke plied her with champagne, after which he kissed and groped her. [82], After The Sunday Times published its report that Elphicke was under police investigation, he sued in order to shut the story down, using libel and privacy laws. "[71], In June 2014 Elphicke was one of a number of Conservative MPs who criticised Oxfam's Twitter and poster campaign against the government's austerity programme. . [16], In February 2020, Elphicke was appointed as a Parliamentary Private Secretary at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. 'I don't think any constituency in this country would select an MP who was supporting a convicted sexual predator,' she adds. In July 2019, the whip was withdrawn again after he was charged by the Crown Prosecution Service with three counts of sexual assault against two women. 'I was absolutely terrified of him . [77] Following a 2017 report citing the 1 billion annual cost of border security delays post-Brexit, and the unfortunate timing of a replacement customs IT system due in March 2019, but designed for the much smaller number of pre-Brexit declarations, Elphicke stated that the border was intended for taxation, not searching, and claimed that clearance at a similar border in Singapore took less than a minute. 'It was just awful': Natalie Elphicke MP describes how 'naughty Tory' husband Charlie's assault allegations led to her 10-year-old son losing friends and her daughter's A-level results suffer [31][32], The instigation of additional border security following the 2016 Nice truck attack caused much publicised seven-mile queues, taking up to fourteen hours to process, on the A2 and A20. 'I was hoping she would go off on her own, particularly when she said at the court that was it, she was divorcing him. [76], In August 2016, ahead of intergovernmental discussions with the French possibly involving the Le Touquet Agreement Elphicke advised ministers to remember that France had genuine concerns about terrorism and that both countries should concentrate on getting a long-term solution to problems rather than "threatening tit for tat". He also criticised directors' pay. Elphicke said the Commission was "committed to the suppression of religion". She was heckled by some protestors who blamed her party for laws that allowed the sackings to take place which she called "nonsense". At the same time as Elphicke pushed this issue up the domestic UK news agenda, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, raised it at the G20 meeting in Mexico City. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. It mystifies her, still. Just make taxes lower, simpler and fit for the internet age", "Oxfam: MPs shocked by 'disgraceful' political campaigning", "Is the latest Oxfam advertisement too political? [70][bettersourceneeded], On 24 May 2013 Elphicke wrote an article for The Daily Telegraph concluding: "Amazon, Google and Starbucks are just the very small tip of a very, very large iceberg. Thoroughly upstanding, a former head teacher and one-time town mayor, Mrs Pears is deeply distressed her daughter stood by Elphicke after his conviction. [16] In one investigation, Elphicke looked at Ordnance Survey (OS) expenses for 20072010 totalling 8.7 million. He denied the charges, but was found guilty of one count of sexual assault in. His election saw the defeat of the Labour leader of Lambeth Council, Stephen Whaley. [7] She was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn in 1994 on a Hardwicke Scholarship, and admitted as a solicitor in 1999. She believes Elphicke should be locked up for five years, more than double his current jail term, because of the extreme distress he caused his victims. Former British Conservative Party MP Charlie Elphicke has been jailed for two years after being found guilty of three counts of sexual assault against two women. . You don't get away with such behaviour for long.'. He was only interested in you if he thought you could help him. This was precisely the thought of Natalie's mother, Julia Pears, when she heard of her son-in-law's downfall: at last, after more than two decades of turmoil during which she says she witnessed her son-in-law's 'predatory' behaviour around women, this was the end. [15] He became PPS to Iain Duncan Smith, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in 2014. Elphicke, who was the MP for Dover between 2010 and 2019, told police he kissed the woman, who he said was feeding him chocolate and had become "tactile" in the moments before, but stopped as . She said that she was leaving him after the guilty verdict in July ALAMY To the outside world they were a successful couple who had it all: a. [19] Work planned to start in 2009 was delayed because of flood risks, but the go-ahead was given in 2012[19] and the 24 million hospital was opened in June 2015. 'He was trying to put his mouth on my mouth. [93], A campaign to present Elphicke as a victim was joined by several individuals, including the parliamentary whips who rescinded his suspension in December 2018, and his wife, Natalie (see below). [8] The report also showed that inequality in income had "barely changed" since 19961997, though a Treasury spokesman pointed out that the UK continued "to top global investment league tables".[8]. 'I knew he was guilty,' she says. [20] Elphicke described it as "a defining moment for the community". It was like an open-mouthed smush on my face. [20][21][22], Following England's defeat in the UEFA Euro 2020 Final, Elphicke was criticised for a private message in which she asked if it would be "ungenerous to suggest" that striker Marcus Rashford, campaigner for free school meals, "should have spent more time perfecting his game and less time playing politics". I don't believe that he will have changed at all, particularly with such a short sentence,' she adds. Others explode with a bang, inflicting irreparable damage on all parties, despite any love that may once have existed. [28] She was criticised for the tweets by the SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford and Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer as they coincided with a day that Christians traditionally celebrate the story of Jesus being born after Mary and Joseph had been offered refuge in a stable. And I picked up my bag and left.'. He's very keen I try to go down and maybe into the Conservative office to try to see her. The comments below have been moderated in advance. She said that people make these journeys "in the hands of ruthless criminal gangs". Inderdeep Bains for the Daily Mail