The Reform UK MP James McMurdock was apparently detained as a teenager for repeatedly kicking his then girlfriend, it has emerged, despite him previously claiming she was hurt after he pushed her.
According to court records released to the Times, McMurdock spent 21 days in a young offender institution after kicking the victim “around four times” in an incident outside a nightclub in Chelmsford when he was 19.
McMurdock, who became Reform’s fifth MP after winning the Essex seat of South Basildon and East Thurrock by 98 votes at the general election, gave a different account of events shortly after his victory.
Later in July, the mother of his former girlfriend told the Mail that the new MP was “a monster” who had “left marks on her body”, saying: “It took two security guards to pull him off her.”
In response to her comments, McMurdock told the paper: “A generous person might call it a teenage indiscretion, but I do not expect everyone to be so kind. Nearly 20 years ago, at 19 years of age, at the end of a night out together, we argued and I pushed her.
“She fell over and she was hurt. Despite being 38 now and having lived a whole life again, I still feel deeply ashamed of that moment and apologetic. Despite us both being very drunk, I handed myself into the police immediately and admitted my fault.”
According to a copy of the court register extract released to the Times, the magistrate explained that McMurdock was given a custodial sentence that “was not suspended in light of serious nature of the offence”.
Such an offence “requires immediate punishment”, the extract said, adding that a pre-sentence report appeared to show a “lack of willingness to comply”.
McMurdock initially denied the charge of assault but changed his plea just before the trial was about to start, the Mail said. The document seen by the Times said he had been given “limited credit for guilty plea – plea entered late, would have been 28 days”. The reason given for the sentence was: “Kicking to victim on around four times.”
At the time the details of McMurdock’s conviction first emerged, a spokesperson for Reform UK said the party had been aware of the incident and “believes strongly that people can change their lives”.
Reform and McMurdock were contacted for comment.
