Police refer Westminster ‘honeytrap’ to prosecutors

The Metropolitan Police have passed details of their investigation into the Westminster “honeytrap” to prosecutors for a decision, the BBC understands.

In June, police arrested a man in his mid-20s in Islington on suspicion of offences under the Online Safety Act and harassment. The suspect remains under investigation.

Earlier this year a string of men, mostly working in politics, reported receiving flirtatious WhatsApp messages from senders named “Charlie” or “Abi” sometimes trading explicit images.

William Wragg, then an MP, resigned the Conservative whip after saying that he gave the phone numbers of fellow MPs to a man he met on a dating app because he was “scared”.

Labour suspended the man, who had been a party member, after learning of his arrest.

Other people targeted include the then Conservative MP for Bosworth, Luke Evans, who said he had contacted the police after becoming “a victim of cyber-flashing and malicious communications”.

In April the Met announced it was investigating reports of unsolicited messages being sent to MPs and others.