GUILTY: Wakefield MP found guilty of sexually assaulting boy

The jury at Southwark Crown Court returned a unanimous verdict following a two-week trial.

The verdict was returned at 4.10pm today. They had been sent out to begin deliberating just after 11am this morning.

Khan, 48, groped the boy as he lay in his bunkbed following the party at a house in Staffordshire 14 years ago.

The court was told that Khan was a friend of a friend to the family hosting the gathering.

Khan, who was 34 at the time, was described as being “charming and chatting” with other guests.

Khan admitted he had been talking to the boy earlier in the evening about sexuality, after the youngster found the future MP was homosexual.

The victim said Khan had told him he was a good-looking and intelligent boy.

Later on he dragged the boy up the stairs, had been play fighting with him, forced him to drink gin and encouraged him to put pornographic films on his computer.

Minutes after the lights went out, the boy said he realised Khan was stood by his bunk and was feeling his leg through the bars, before reaching over the top and continued to touch his leg, moving closer to his groin area.

He said that he heard Khan’s breathing become deeper as he moved around the bed to continue touching him.

It was at this point that the boy ran out of the bedroom, towards his parents’ room in a distressed state.

The police were called and the next morning the youngster gave a statement, but did not want the matter taking further out of embarrassment.

This was until 2019 when the complainant, now an adult, saw that Khan was standing in the election to contest the Wakefield seat.

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said he waited until after the election had been contested because he did not want to influence the outcome.

Khan maintained through the trial that he did not sexually touch the boy.

Meanwhile, a former colleague of Khan's also gave evidence during the trial, saying that Khan had sexually assaulted him also.

The man had worked with Khan in Pakistan in 2010, and after a night's drinking, said that he woke to find Khan performing a sex act on him.

Khan denied this, claiming the encounter was consensual. No charge has ever brought because of the alleged incident taking place in Asia.

Prosecutor Sean Larkin QC had earlier told the jury during his closing speech that this second incident was "beyond coincidence".

Khan was granted bail and will appear in court again at a later date, yet top be determined, for sentencing.

The judge, Justice J Baker, hinted that it will be in "about a month's time".

The judge told him: "I make it clear that all sentencing options, including immediate custody, will be considered by the court."