Conservative MP arrested on suspicion of rape and possession of drugs

[WanOvaryKenobi]

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/oct/26/conservative-mp-arrested-on-suspicion-of-rape-and-drugs-possession

These men who display such open misogyny really ought to have their hard drives checked. I can think of a labour MP who likes harassing his female colleagues. And thinks "safe" strangulation should be taught in schools. I bet his hard drive would be interesting.

If you like that sort of thing I should add.

It is worth emphasising that Crispin Blunt's statement does refer to him contacting the police about extortion. That doesn't mean I support him in any way.

He's also standing down at the next general election. I hope this doesn't just end up as another case in which the public never finds out what actually happened.

If shouldn't end up as one more case where we never find out what happened, @nettie434, because it's a criminal offence he'll be charged with.

Don't forget his brother Oliver is (was?) a KC, so I'm sure Crispin Blunt will have access to the best legal advice

That's good news Rightsraptor. I didn't know he had a brother who was a KC but I hadn't imagined him struggling to pay for legal representation

I'd love to see the evidence of this and everything else, collated. Maybe sex matters could do a thread? With receipts.

I find his statement as clear as mud.

”I have now been interviewed twice in connection with this incident, the first time three weeks ago when I initially reported my concern over extortion.
“The second time was … under caution following arrest. The arrest was unnecessary as I remain ready to cooperate fully with the investigation that I am confident will end without charge.””

It isn’t clear in his first paragraph which came first, the questioning by the police or him reporting “concerns” as surely the “initially” refers to the first time he reported his concerns, which could have been after he’d been questioned.

I’m also baffled by “the arrest was unnecessary as I remain ready to cooperate” So does he think if you tell the police you’ll cooperate, they shouldn’t arrest you?!

These are from a Pink News article dated May 2022.

will be interesting to see how the ‘independence and integrity of the justice system’ shakes out for him.

Hopelesslydevotedtoshrews · Yesterday 18:47

This really feels like the end of the Major years now, crapfest after crapfest, following sleazy shenanigans and just feeling generally grimy in general.

Tragically, this time, there's nobody even vaguely competent waiting to take over.

I have missed some of the things about Blunt and he seems to be even more odious than I'd realised.

The corruption of the last decade dwarfs anything in UK history in both MPs committing crimes (yet not resigning) and money 'lost'.

Major still kept the country running. It was bad but not nearly this bad.

It is worth emphasising that Crispin Blunt's statement does refer to him contacting the police about extortion.

His statement is very weirdly worded. I suspect it's to make it seem like he reported a crime when, in fact, he was being interviewed as a suspect.

Remember his statement was released purely so he could try and put his own spin on things. That is the only purpose of his statement. Making yourself the victim is quite hard when you have been arrested for rape and drug possession but he is trying. He is trying to sow doubt with the ‘extortion’ comment - possibly the track his legal team intend to take (they will be involved already) should this come to trial.

The Times have done a profile on him but unfortunately have omitted to mention his awful treatment of women over trans issues, his dodgy behind the scenes machinations and his behaviour towards Surrey PCC Lisa Townsend.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/41c534c4-743c-11ee-b9bb-a19d1562d9ff?shareToken=5e009f9189051892864f59fbb5728c9a

Of course. But he's innocent until proven guilty, just like every other person under arrest, even twunts.

Yes he is. But subjectively I then consider the problems obtaining justice with rape and sexual assault cases, the reality that most rapes don't even result in arrest let alone come to court. We also know that when it comes to influential wealthy white men (with the best legal advice money can buy) the police tread excessively cautiously. They spend a lot of time digging into the alleged victim's history in ways they would not do with victims of most crimes or where the perpetrator is more convictable .

Even with this arrest, he has a very experienced team to pull the victim's case apart, a PR team to accidentally expose them on social media, run the PR cycle. Follow this up with the KC reminding the jury that "one word against the other" doesn't meet the threshold for "beyond reasonable doubt" - a conviction is hard to achieve even with a guilty perpetrator.

So whilst my head knows you are absolutely right and "innocent until proved guilty" the reaction from women that there must be something going on isn't surprising. I doubt a conviction will be achieved whatever he actually did and it will provide fuel to his previous support for anonymity for men accused of sexual assault.

He used to have quite the name as an old fashioned mysoginist right winger with a very dodgy record on homophobic comments then he was reborn as the "brave" man leaving a marriage to find himself in a new role as Stonewall's branch officer in Westminster.

I didn’t assume guilt, or even assume this would come to trial. Simply pointing out that Crispin Blunt will have a legal team who are already spinning their defence against any possible charges (as things stand he hasn’t been charged and they won’t know what the evidence is against him either). His statement is part of that.