A former MP who recently championed AI in a meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing a criminal sexual assault charge.
Ben Howlett, 38, who represented the Conservatives in Parliament between 2015 and 2017, is accused over an alleged incident at a pub in Battersea, southwest London, in 2021.
He was charged in April and appeared in court last week to face the allegation for the first time.
Scotland Yard said Howlett, who lives in Greenwich, was charged with sexual assault on April 24, nearly four years after the allegation of sexual assault was first made.
While awaiting his first court hearing, Howlett sat down with Sir Keir in North Wales for a meeting on AI at the end of June.
He was the MP for Bath during his stint in Parliament, before moving in the private lobbying sector. Howlett was in his role as co-founder of UKAI and chief executive of policy institute Curia when he met with the PM.
He has previously posted a picture of himself on social media outside Downing Street when Rishi Sunak was in charge.
Howlett appeared at Wimbledon magistrates court on July 2 to face the case for the first time, as magistrates sent it to be dealt with at Kingston crown court.
“On Wednesday, 18 August 2021 an allegation of sexual assault was reported to police”, said the Met, adding that the alleged victim says he “had been assaulted by a man”.
“The incident is alleged to have occurred in a pub on Nine Elms Lane, SW11”, said the force, before adding: “The suspect attended a voluntary interview during the course of the investigation.
“On Thursday, 24 April he was charged as above.
“The victim continues to be supported by specialist officers.”
Court records show that Howlett did not enter a plea to the sexual assault charge at his first court hearing.
The charge alleges Howlett “intentionally touched a man aged 16 or over and that touching was sexual when he did not consent and you did not reasonably believe that he was consenting.”
He has been set free on unconditional bail until the crown court hearing on July 29.
