Metropolitan Police knew about honeytrap final 12 months however did not inform MPs | Politics | News | EUROtoday

The Metropolitan Police had stories of honeytrap messages focusing on Westminster final 12 months – however didn’t warn MPs.

Reports to Scotland Yard in October and November have been handed on to House of Commons safety workers, stories the Daily Mail.

A choice nevertheless was made to not escalate the problem to MPs as there was no suggestion the messages have been a part of a “wider pattern”.

It was not till stories of a “spear phishing” rip-off hit the headlines that the extent of the honeytrap menace really got here to gentle.

According to The Mail, authorities in Parliament didn’t elevate the alarm as they Met was main the investigation.

Police are understood to not have had the impression the messages have been of enough concern.

But one sufferer steered the Met was “sitting on their hands”. The former MP instructed The Mail: “You would have thought they’d have a duty to report any concerns so MPs could protect themselves. How many MPs have potentially fallen victim because the police didn’t act sooner?”

A Metropolitan Police spokesman mentioned: “The Met had previously received reports from two victims – the first in October with subsequent reports in November and March – about the unsolicited sending of explicit images to MPs

“There was nothing to counsel that these incidents have been a part of a wider sample of offending that may have necessitated any type of warning to Parliamentarians and workers.”

At least 20 people – including serving ministers, MPs, and journalists – were contacted by a person calling thesmelves “Charlie” or “Abi”.

Last week Tory MP William Wragg admitted supplying phone numbers of colleagues to the honeytapper after he sent intimate messages to the person on gay dating Grindr.

He has since apologised and said he went along with the ploy because the man had “compromising” photos of him. He has since resigned the Tory whip.