An SNP MP is facing suspension from the House of Commons after making unwanted sexual advances to a 19-year-old party worker.
Patrick Grady, 42, has also been recommended to make an apology to the man and in the House of Commons for the sexual misconduct.
He has been administratively suspended from the SNP Westminster group and his MP colleagues will discuss the matter this evening.
Grady, the MP for Glasgow North, was accused of inappropriately touching the man in the Water Poet pub in London in 2016. The claims were first revealed in the Daily Record.
A Westminster report said of the "facts" of the probe: "At an SNP social event held in a pub on 20 October 2016, the complainant and the respondent were both present. The respondent remained after all other MPs had left.
"Mr Grady, under the influence of alcohol, made a sexual advance to the complainant in the mistaken belief that this advance would be welcomed. The advance included the touching and stroking of the complainant's neck, hair, and back. The respondent states that when it became apparent that his conduct was not welcome, he desisted."
A panel, which considered the sanction for Grady, concluded: “The sub-panel recommended that Mr Grady be suspended for two sitting days (not including Fridays), make an unreserved apology to the House by way of a personal statement, and also make a private written apology to the complainant.”
Grady stood aside as chief whip when the allegations were first reported by the Daily Record, after which the Westminster authorities launched a probe.
A probe was carried out by an independent investigator, after which the case was referred to an expert panel by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.
The report also included extracts of an apology from Grady:
"I accept the findings of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards in full and without reservation. I accept that my behaviour as described inAllegation 1 amounts to a breach of the Sexual Misconduct Policy for theUK Parliament, and I apologise for this without reservation.
"I deeply regret my behaviour, and am very sorry for the distress and upset it has caused the complainant."
Factors "aggravating" the breach included the relative age and authority of between Grady and the complainer, as well as the physical contact.
It noted: "The second critical factor here is that in seeking to initiate a relationship, the respondent did so by direct physical contact, stroking the complainant’s hair, and his neck, and rubbing his back. We accept there was no intimate touching, but this was nevertheless clearly sexual in intent and manner, and clearly inappropriate.
"This factor was exacerbated by the fact that the context was public, and drink had been taken. The respondent accepts these points."
According to the report, factors mitigating the breach included it being a “one off” and the fact Grady has undergone training.
It added: "We also record our conclusion that the respondent was not merely disturbed and embarrassed by this whole turn of events, and regretful of the consequences for his political career, but genuinely remorseful."
The report concluded: “An unwanted physical touching, with sexual intent, from a senior MP to a junior member of staff, even on a single occasion, is a significant breach of the [sexual misconduct] policy.
“It must be marked by some period of suspension from the House. However, for all the reasons we have set out, in this case it should be short, and will be somewhat shorter than it might have been by reference to the breaches of confidentiality by the complainant.”
The Record previously revealed that the SNP tried to handle the claims informally by way of a meeting between the complainer, Grady and party Westminster leader Ian Blackford.
The victim described the meeting to this newspaper as an "ambush".
Scottish Conservative MSP Annie Wells said: “The SNP have serious questions to answer over how they handled this increasingly murky situation.
“They shamefully tried to sweep these serious complaints - which have now been upheld - under the carpet. At every single turn there was a lack of transparency from them over how the investigation was proceeding.
“This verdict will be a small source of comfort to the brave complainer who has been let down by the SNP from the outset.
“The party’s attempts to cover up the behaviour of their then Chief Whip will not fill any potential future complainers with confidence that they will be treated appropriately.
“Nicola Sturgeon must address this verdict as a matter of urgency and explain why crucial details of the case were kept hidden from the public and what action will be now be taken by the SNP against Patrick Grady.
“He should be suspended immediately.”
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