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A former Labour councillor, Oliver Steadman, has found himself in trouble as he faces charges of blackmail and communications offences in connection to the infamous Westminster “honeytrap” scandal. The charge of blackmail stems from alleged unwarranted demands for the phone numbers of up to 12 individuals, while the communications offences relate to the sending of unsolicited indecent images.
The scandal unfolded last year when several men, primarily involved in politics, disclosed that they had received unsolicited and flirtatious WhatsApp messages from individuals using the aliases “Charlie” or “Abi”. In some instances, explicit images were exchanged, leading to a public outcry and intense scrutiny of those involved.
One of the key figures implicated in the scandal was former Conservative MP William Wragg, who stepped down from the party after admitting to providing the phone numbers of fellow MPs to an individual he met on a dating app. As for Oliver Steadman, he was promptly suspended as a Labour member following his arrest in June 2024 and later resigned as a councillor in Islington, north London.
Malcolm McHaffie, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Special Crime Division, emphasized the seriousness of the charges against Steadman. The prosecution has decided to pursue charges of blackmail and five communications offences in relation to five victims from the political and Westminster spheres. The Metropolitan Police Service conducted an extensive investigation into the matter, focusing on messages containing unsolicited indecent images sent via Whatsapp between October 2023 and April 2024. Oliver Steadman is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 3 November to face these charges
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