By . James Tozer . A senior Conservative ‘sighed with irritation’ at being told Nigel Evans had sexually assaulted a Parliamentary employee, and refused to demand his resignation, a court heard yesterday. Patrick McLoughlin, then Tory chief whip, told the alleged victim that with the General Election looming, ‘the timing wasn’t right’ to ask Evans to step down, concluding: ‘It can’t be done.’ Instead, Mr McLoughlin – now Transport Secretary – agreed the Conservative MP for Ribble Valley should seek help for his drinking and publicly come out as gay. 'He can't resign': Former Tory chief whip Patrick McLoughlin (right) 'sighed with irritation' at being told Nigel Evans MP (left) had sexually assaulted a Parliamentary employee, and refused to demand his resignation . But four years later, a male friend of the complainant accused Evans of raping him after drinking heavily, and he reported his own allegation to police. Evans, 56, who stepped down as a Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons following his arrest and now sits as an independent, is accused of rape and sexual assaults against seven men in and around Westminster or Lancashire. Yesterday his trial heard from a man who claims Evans targeted him as he slept on the sofa of his constituency home in Pendleton after an alcohol-fuelled evening in July 2009. The openly bisexual politics student, then aged 23, said he twice awoke to find Evans sitting on the sofa. Later he awoke again to find Evans with his hand inside his boxer shorts, he told the jury at Preston Crown Court. He said he pushed Evans, who ‘flew’ across the room and shouted: ‘What the f*** do you think you’re doing?’ Lying on the floor where he had fallen, Evans answered: ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.’ Election looming: Preston Crown Court heard Mr McLoughlin- now Secretary of State for Transport - told the alleged victim that with the General Election looming, 'the timing wasn't right' to ask Evans (pictured arriving at court) to step down. Evans is facing nine counts of sexual assault against seven alleged victims . Seek help: Instead Mr McLoughlin (pictured) is said to have told Evans to seek help for his drinking and publicly come out as being gay . Nigel Evans, faces nine allegations of sexual offences against seven younger men.Count 1: indecent assault of a male between 2002 and 2003. Count 2: indecent assault of a male between 2003 and 2004. Count 3: sexual assault (intentional touching) between 2009 and 2010. Count 4: sexual assault (intentional touching) between 2009 and 2009. Count 5: sexual assault (intentional touching) between 2010 and 2011. Count 6: sexual assault (intentional touching) between 2011 and 2012. Count 7: sexual assault (intentional touching) between March 29 and April 1, 2013 . Count 8: rape between March 29 and April 1, 2013. Count 9: sexual assault (intentional touching) between March 29 and April 1, 2013. Counts 7, 8 and 9 all involve the same complainant. Earlier in the evening he said he had put his arms around Evans, who was upset over the sudden death of his elderly mother. After the alleged attack, he said the MP apologised by saying he thought the embrace had ‘meant something’, which he told the jury was ‘ridiculous’. He said he told Evans he regarded it as ‘a particular betrayal’ as he had previously confided in the MP about being sexually abused as a toddler. He told the jury he agreed to stay the rest of the night before Evans gave him a lift back to London. The following day – a Sunday – he informed Conservative whip Michael Fabricant of what had happened. On the Monday he was called into a meeting with Mr McLoughlin and his deputy, John Randall, at the Houses of Parliament where ‘I told him exactly what happened’. He told the jury Mr McLoughlin’s reaction was ‘one mainly of irritation’ and that he ‘sighed and huffed and blew’ while he listened. He said the politician asked: ‘So what . do you want to happen now?’ He replied that he wanted Evans to resign . his seat, to which he said Mr McLoughlin responded: ‘It can’t be done – . the timing isn’t right. Position: Evans served as deputy speaker of the House of Commons from 2010 until September 2013 . ‘I would find it very difficult to explain why an MP is leaving his seat at this point before a General Election. It can’t be done.’ The accuser said Mr Randall by contrast seemed ‘genuinely concerned’, and it was agreed that Evans – who the witness branded ‘a high-functioning alcoholic’ – would be ordered to seek counselling about his drinking and coming out as gay. When a friend told him Evans had attacked him in May 2013, he approached another Tory MP who referred the two men’s claims to Speaker John Bercow, and the police were called. Evans denies counts of indecent assault and sexual assault and one of rape. The case continues. The second alleged assault took place during the 2003 Conservative party conference at the Imperial Hotel in Blackpool . An inside view of the Number 10 bar within the Imperial Hotel - where the second alleged assault is alleged to have taken place . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
Nigel Evans MP is on trial charged with nine counts of sexual assault .
Preston Crown Court heard Patrick McLoughlin, then Tory chief whip, refused to demand his resignation as the General Election loomed .
The now Transport Minister is said to have 'sighed with irritation' at being told Evans had assaulted a Parliamentary employee .
Alleged victim told the court he awoke on a sofa after a heavy night to find Evans with his hand down his boxer shorts .
Evans denies indecent assault, sexual assault and a charge of rape .
By . James Tozer . A senior Conservative ‘sighed with irritation’ at being told Nigel Evans had sexually assaulted a Parliamentary employee, and refused to demand his resignation, a court heard yesterday. Patrick McLoughlin, then Tory chief whip, told the alleged victim that with the General Election looming, ‘the timing wasn’t right’ to ask Evans to step down, concluding: ‘It can’t be done.’ Instead, Mr McLoughlin – now Transport Secretary – agreed the Conservative MP for Ribble Valley should seek help for his drinking and publicly come out as gay. 'He can't resign': Former Tory chief whip Patrick McLoughlin (right) 'sighed with irritation' at being told Nigel Evans MP (left) had sexually assaulted a Parliamentary employee, and refused to demand his resignation . But four years later, a male friend of the complainant accused Evans of raping him after drinking heavily, and he reported his own allegation to police. Evans, 56, who stepped down as a Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons following his arrest and now sits as an independent, is accused of rape and sexual assaults against seven men in and around Westminster or Lancashire. Yesterday his trial heard from a man who claims Evans targeted him as he slept on the sofa of his constituency home in Pendleton after an alcohol-fuelled evening in July 2009. The openly bisexual politics student, then aged 23, said he twice awoke to find Evans sitting on the sofa. Later he awoke again to find Evans with his hand inside his boxer shorts, he told the jury at Preston Crown Court. He said he pushed Evans, who ‘flew’ across the room and shouted: ‘What the f*** do you think you’re doing?’ Lying on the floor where he had fallen, Evans answered: ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.’ Election looming: Preston Crown Court heard Mr McLoughlin- now Secretary of State for Transport - told the alleged victim that with the General Election looming, 'the timing wasn't right' to ask Evans (pictured arriving at court) to step down. Evans is facing nine counts of sexual assault against seven alleged victims . Seek help: Instead Mr McLoughlin (pictured) is said to have told Evans to seek help for his drinking and publicly come out as being gay . Nigel Evans, faces nine allegations of sexual offences against seven younger men.Count 1: indecent assault of a male between 2002 and 2003. Count 2: indecent assault of a male between 2003 and 2004. Count 3: sexual assault (intentional touching) between 2009 and 2010. Count 4: sexual assault (intentional touching) between 2009 and 2009. Count 5: sexual assault (intentional touching) between 2010 and 2011. Count 6: sexual assault (intentional touching) between 2011 and 2012. Count 7: sexual assault (intentional touching) between March 29 and April 1, 2013 . Count 8: rape between March 29 and April 1, 2013. Count 9: sexual assault (intentional touching) between March 29 and April 1, 2013. Counts 7, 8 and 9 all involve the same complainant. Earlier in the evening he said he had put his arms around Evans, who was upset over the sudden death of his elderly mother. After the alleged attack, he said the MP apologised by saying he thought the embrace had ‘meant something’, which he told the jury was ‘ridiculous’. He said he told Evans he regarded it as ‘a particular betrayal’ as he had previously confided in the MP about being sexually abused as a toddler. He told the jury he agreed to stay the rest of the night before Evans gave him a lift back to London. The following day – a Sunday – he informed Conservative whip Michael Fabricant of what had happened. On the Monday he was called into a meeting with Mr McLoughlin and his deputy, John Randall, at the Houses of Parliament where ‘I told him exactly what happened’. He told the jury Mr McLoughlin’s reaction was ‘one mainly of irritation’ and that he ‘sighed and huffed and blew’ while he listened. He said the politician asked: ‘So what . do you want to happen now?’ He replied that he wanted Evans to resign . his seat, to which he said Mr McLoughlin responded: ‘It can’t be done – . the timing isn’t right. Position: Evans served as deputy speaker of the House of Commons from 2010 until September 2013 . ‘I would find it very difficult to explain why an MP is leaving his seat at this point before a General Election. It can’t be done.’ The accuser said Mr Randall by contrast seemed ‘genuinely concerned’, and it was agreed that Evans – who the witness branded ‘a high-functioning alcoholic’ – would be ordered to seek counselling about his drinking and coming out as gay. When a friend told him Evans had attacked him in May 2013, he approached another Tory MP who referred the two men’s claims to Speaker John Bercow, and the police were called. Evans denies counts of indecent assault and sexual assault and one of rape. The case continues. The second alleged assault took place during the 2003 Conservative party conference at the Imperial Hotel in Blackpool . An inside view of the Number 10 bar within the Imperial Hotel - where the second alleged assault is alleged to have taken place . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
with irritation’ at being told Nigel Evans had refused to demand his resignation, a court heard yesterday. Patrick McLoughlin, then Tory chief McLoughlin (right) 'sighed with irritation' at assaulted a Parliamentary employee, and refused sitting on the sofa. Later he awoke again to find Evans with his hand inside his boxer shorts, he sorry.’ Election looming: Preston Crown Court to step down. Evans is facing nine counts of said to have told Evans to seek help for his Evans denies counts of indecent assault and sexual assault and one of rape. The case