Ribble Valley MP back in court on sex charges

MP for Ribble Valley Nigel Evans. Photo: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

The former Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons is accused of two counts of indecent  assault, five of sexual  assault and one of rape against seven male alleged victims.

A provisional trial date of March 10th has been set for the 55-year-old MP, who stood down as Deputy Speaker after being charged in September.

The indecent assaults are alleged to have been committed between January 1st, 2002, and January 1st, 2004, the sexual assaults between January 1st, 2009, and April 1st, 2013, and the rape between March 29th and April 1st, 2013.

Mr Evans was a Conservative MP but resigned the party whip when he became a Deputy Speaker, as it is a politically neutral role. He has not sought to reclain the Tory whip in the Commons, but instead represents his constituency as an independent.