One of the Conservative Party’s most recent, high-profile advisors, Doug Richard, is set to be charged with sex offences against children, including three counts of sexual activity with a 13-year-old girl, and one count of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
Richard, who advised Prime Minister David Cameron as recently as three years ago, will appear before City of London Magistrates’ Court on the 5th October, the Telegraph reports.
He appeared in the early seasons of the BBC’s Dragon’s Den programme, hosted by the now BBC Newsnight presenter Evan Davis. He was flanked by the likes of entrepreneurs Duncan Bannatyne, Peter Jones, and Rachel Elnaugh.
Originally from the United States, Richard made his initial fortune in California in the tech industry before moving to Cambridge in the United Kingdom.
Caroline Hughes, from the Crown Prosecution Service said: “We have carefully considered the evidence gathered by City of London Police in relation to Douglas Richard, 57, who was arrested on 5 January this year.
“Having completed our review, we have concluded that there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest for Douglas Richard to be charged with three counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
“The alleged offences occurred on 2 January 2015 and relate to one victim aged 13 at the time.
“The decision to prosecute has been taken in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors. Mr Richard will appear before City of London Magistrates’ Court on 5 October.”
Richard was originally reported to have been arrested in January of this year, though he strongly denied the allegations which were put to him by the Daily Mirror newspaper.
He said: “I absolutely deny the allegations made about me. It would be inappropriate to comment further given that the police are at a very early stage of their investigation.”
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.