A former Labour MP, whose resignation triggered the Hartlepool by-election, breached Parliament’s sexual misconduct policy, an independent panel has found.
Mike Hill, who resigned from the House in March, was accused of subjecting a woman to “behaviour amounting to sexual misconduct” in private accommodation and in his parliamentary office, according to the report by the Independent Expert Panel (IEP).
The panel also said he allegedly “victimised and discriminated against her” in the workplace because she had made the allegations.
Sir Stephen Irwin, chairman of the IEP, said Mr Hill would have faced a “significant sanction” had he not resigned.
He added: “The sub-panel took a very serious view of his conduct, and had he remained a member of Parliament, a significant sanction would have been under consideration.
"In the light of his resignation, however, the sub-panel concluded that no available sanction met the facts of this case and the specific circumstances of the responder. They therefore did not impose or recommend a sanction."
Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has stripped Mr Hill of his right to a parliamentary pass as a former member.
Mr Hill is also facing an employment tribunal case, with a decision expected to be made towards the end of June.
Following Mr Hill’s resignation in Hartlepool, a Tory MP was elected for the first time in the current constituency’s history.
Tory candidate Jill Mortimer defeated Labour candidate Paul Williams by nearly 7,000 votes and hailed the result as a “truly historic” moment.
