Conservative MP Imran Ahmad Khan faces trial for allegedly sexually assaulting a teenager

A Tory MP is facing trial accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy in 2008, it can now be revealed.

Imran Ahmad Khan, 47, the Tory MP for Wakefield, West Yorkshire, said he denied “in the strongest terms” the allegation that he groped the teenager from Staffordshire.

Ahmad Khan, who was elected in the 2019 general election, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday via video link from his lawyers’ office.

He may be named on Friday after reporting restrictions were lifted.

Ahmad Khan, from Wakefield, faces one charge of sexually assaulting the teenager, who cannot be identified because he is an alleged victim of a sex offence, in 2008.

The charge, which was read out in court, states: “In Staffordshire, you touched a 15-year-old boy with intent and that the touching was sexual when he did not consent and you did not reasonably believe that he consented, contrary to section 3 of the Sexual Offenses Act 2003.”

Asked to indicate a plea to the charge, Ahmad Khan, who was represented by Sallie Bennett-Jenkins QC, said: “Not guilty.”

In a statement released on Friday, Ahmad Khan said: “It is true that an allegation has been made against me.

“Let me state at the outset that the allegation, which is over 13 years old, is denied in the strongest possible terms.

“This matter is deeply troubling to me, and of course I take it extremely seriously.

“Being accused of doing something I didn’t do is shocking, destabilizing and traumatic. I am innocent.

“Those, like myself, who are falsely accused of such actions find themselves in the difficult position of having to endure hurtful and damaging speculation until the case is over.

“I request privacy while I work to clear my name.”

Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring said the case was not suitable for trial in the court of law and referred the case to the Old Bailey.

He told Ahmad Khan: “You must appear at the Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey, on July 15 at 9.30am. Between now and then you are granted unconditional bail.

“If you do not attend on that occasion, unless there is a very good reason, you may be committing an offence.

“Do you understand that?”

Ahmad Khan replied, “Yes.”

According to his website, the MP was born in Wakefield, where he attended Silcoates Independent School before going to university at the Pushkin Institute in Russia and graduating from King’s College London with a BA in War Studies.

Before entering Parliament, he worked for the United Nations as a special assistant for political affairs in Mogadishu.

The Crown Prosecution Service said it made the decision to charge after reviewing a file of evidence from Staffordshire Police.

Stressing the need for a fair trial, Rosemary Ainslie of the CPS said: “It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commenting or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”