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The investigation into the Westminster “honeytrap” scandal has been passed to prosecutors for a decision, according to sources at the Metropolitan Police. A man in his mid-20s was arrested earlier this year in Islington on suspicion of offences under the Online Safety Act and harassment; he remains under investigation. The case relates to a series of flirtatious WhatsApp messages sent to a number of men, mostly working in politics, from senders named “Charlie” or “Abi”, which sometimes contained explicit images.
William Wragg, a former MP, resigned the Conservative whip after revealing that he gave the phone numbers of fellow MPs to a man he met on a dating app because he was “scared”. Other people targeted included the then Conservative MP for Bosworth, Luke Evans, who reported himself to the police after becoming “a victim of cyber-flashing and malicious communications”. A number of other complaints were also lodged with the Metropolitan Police at around the same time.
The man who was arrested was subsequently suspended by the Labour party, of which he was then a member. His arrest in connection with the Westminster scandal was made public in April, at which point the Met announced its investigation into unsolicited messages being sent to various MPs and others. It is not known when a decision will be made by prosecutors about whether or not to proceed with the case against the man who was arrested in Islington.
This case is indicative of the increased attention that is now being given to cybersecurity and data protection issues, both within the political arena and more broadly, particularly in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal. There is growing recognition of the need to ensure that individuals are protected from cyber harassment and other threats, which can have significant and negative impacts on their lives and careers. It is hoped that this investigation will serve as a warning to others who might be tempted to engage in similar activities in the future
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