Hampshire Reform UK councillor charged with rape and sexual assault

In total, Madgwick, who is from the the Anchorage Park area of Portsmouth, has been charged with 12 counts of rape, two counts of assault by penetration and two of sexual assault.

Madgwick has also been charged with two counts of making indecent images of children, two of controlling or coercive behaviour and eight of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He faces one charge each of causing or inciting sexual exploitation of a child, distributing an indecent image of a child, stalking, making threats to kill, false imprisonment, theft and criminal damage.

A spokesperson for the CPS said: “Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence and that it is in the public interest to bring the case to court.

“We remind all concerned that proceedings against the defendant are now active and that he has the right to a fair trial. There should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”

The councillor represents North East Havant on Hampshire County Council and Paulsgrove on Portsmouth City Council.

Madgwick was elected to his position on the county council by a large margin in May – just months after he was first arrested by police.

In a statement, the local authority said it was aware of the “extremely serious allegations” and that “as criminal proceedings are now under way, it would not be appropriate” to comment further.

It added that being charged with a criminal offence did not disqualify a councillor, such as Madgwick, from office.

Last month, he featured in the the ITV News Exposure documentary Undercover: A Year In Reform – after which he accused the broadcaster of “electoral interference”.

In the programme, he was shown voicing support for the Portsmouth Patriots anti-immigration group.

He subsequently issued a statement saying the undercover reporters potentially had an “impact on the result” of council elections.