Westminster ‘honeytrap’ case handed to Crown Prosecution Service, Sky News understands | Politics News

The Westminster “honeytrap” case has been handed to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for a decision, Sky News understands.

This summer a man was arrested in connection with the case, in which at least 12 men in political circles received unsolicited, flirtatious WhatsApp messages from people calling themselves “Charlie” or “Abi”, according to Scotland Yard.

Explicit images were exchanged in some instances.

It emerged that the man who was arrested was a Labour Party member.

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Sky News understands the Labour Party immediately suspended the man from the Labour Party after it was notified he had been arrested.

A Met Police spokesperson said: “Officers interviewed a man under caution on Wednesday, 11 December.

“He remains under investigation and a file has been passed to the CPS for their consideration.

“The man was arrested on Wednesday, 26 June on suspicion of harassment and committing offences under the Online Safety Act.

“The arrest and subsequent interview relates to an investigation being carried out by the Met’s Parliamentary Liaison and Investigation Team following reports of unsolicited messages sent to MPs and others.”

Conservative Dr Luke Evans first reported the “honeytrap”, revealing he was approached in March by two different numbers on WhatsApp “who purported to know me”.

He said he was the victim of cyber flashing and malicious communications “and blew the whistle by reporting it to the police and the parliamentary authorities as soon as this happened”.

Then senior Conservative William Wragg stepped down from the party after he admitted to The Times newspaper to sharing other politicians’ personal numbers to someone he met on a dating app who “had compromising things on me”.