Imran Ahmad Khan, the Member of Parliament for Wakefield, has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy at a house party in Staffordshire in 2008. The conviction came after a trial at Southwark Crown Court, where the jury deliberated for five hours before reaching their verdict on 11 April 2022.
The incident occurred when Khan, then aged 34, was attending a social gathering. According to the victim's testimony, Khan forced the teenager to consume gin and tonic before dragging him upstairs to a bedroom. There, Khan pushed the boy onto a bed and compelled him to watch pornography on a laptop. The assault escalated as Khan touched the boy's feet and legs, coming perilously close to his private areas while the victim attempted to sleep in a top bunk bed. The victim, now 29, described feeling 'scared, vulnerable, numb, shocked and surprised' during the ordeal.
Immediately after the assault, the boy fled to his parents, and a police report was filed. However, no further action was taken at the time because the youngster did not wish to pursue a formal complaint. The matter resurfaced in late 2019 when Khan stood as the Conservative candidate for Wakefield in the general election. The victim stated that 'it all came flooding back,' prompting him to contact the Conservative Party press office days before the election and later lodge a formal complaint with Staffordshire Police shortly after Khan's victory, which contributed to Boris Johnson's Commons majority.
Due to COVID-19 protocols, Staffordshire Police sent Khan a questionnaire rather than conducting an in-person interview under caution. Khan, who is gay and Muslim, denied the charges throughout the trial. He claimed that he only touched the Catholic teenager's elbow in an attempt to be 'kind' and 'helpful' during a conversation about the boy's confused sexuality. Khan asserted that the teenager became extremely upset and 'bolted' when pornography was mentioned, but insisted no assault occurred.
The jury rejected Khan's defence and convicted him of sexual assault. Mr Justice Baker, the presiding judge, released Khan on bail pending sentencing at a later date, explicitly stating that 'all sentencing options, including immediate custody, are being considered by the court.' Khan's solicitors, Janes Solicitors, issued a statement affirming that their client 'maintains his innocence' and intends to appeal the conviction as soon as possible.
The conviction has significant political repercussions. Khan was expelled from the Conservative Party following the guilty verdict. Labour has demanded his immediate resignation to trigger a by-election in the marginal 'red wall' seat of Wakefield, which supported Brexit by 63% in 2019. If sentenced to 12 months or more in custody, Khan will be automatically disqualified as an MP; a shorter sentence could lead to a recall petition by constituents.