Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Attorney General, if he will meet hon. Members and representatives of the Crown Prosecution Service to discuss the prosecution of Councillor Gurpai Virdi in the case heard at Southwark Crown Court starting on 27 July 2015.

The decision to prosecute Gurpal Virdi for misconduct in public office and indecent assault was made in accordance with the Full Code Test as set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors. The case was handled by a specialist unit within the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), prosecuted by Treasury Counsel and supervised at very senior levels of the CPS.

There was detailed legal argument and a defence application to dismiss the case before trial. The application failed. At trial no defence submission was made to the trial judge that the matter should not be left to the jury. Mr Virdi was subsequently acquitted by the jury after a full trial.

I understand that the CPS has already written to my Hon. Friend with a more detailed explanation of the decision making in this case and I am satisfied that the CPS have handled the prosecution appropriately. However, I am happy to meet my Hon. Friend along with representatives of the CPS to discuss the case further if required.