Former MP Expresses Profound Guilt Over “Honeytrap” Scandal Involvement

Warning: This story contains references to suicide It was 4am one morning in April, and William Wragg was at his home, a cottage situated on the edge of the Peak District, unable to sleep. “I really was having very dark thoughts,” he disclosed in his inaugural broadcast interview concerning his participation in Parliament’s “honeytrap” scandal. At that time, Wragg served as a Conservative MP, and a few days prior, he had confessed to a journalist that he had shared the phone numbers of fellow politicians with an individual he had encountered on a dating application. Since the publication of the story, photographers had been stationed outside his parents’ residence. “I drove around to my parents’ house and said to them: ‘I need to go to hospital’,” he recounted. That night, his mother transported him to the local accident and emergency unit. He was hunched over as he leaned on the front desk. “Have you got a bad back?” the receptionist cheerily inquired. “No,” he responded. “I’m suicidal.” Wragg was among dozens of victims of an individual who assumed the identities of ‘Charlie’ and ‘Abi’, sending flirtatious messages to politicians, journalists, and advisers. Unlike others who had received unsolicited messages, he was the one who initiated contact with ‘Charlie’ on the gay dating app Grindr. “I was quite lonely to be honest,” Wragg stated. “It was an evening at the end of January. I was back at my flat in London following a day at Westminster, and I was just on my blank online profile. And I saw his profile and messaged to say hello.” ‘Charlie’ appeared to possess extensive knowledge of UK politics, and the conversation soon migrated to WhatsApp. Wragg believed this could mark the beginning of a relationship. “I was actually very flattered because he was an attractive guy,” Wragg commented. “And he had a manner in the conversation that was assertive, but slightly cocky. That’s an attractive quality too.” Within hours, the men had exchanged naked photographs. “Was that wise?” he was asked. “Obviously it wasn’t,” Wragg replied. “But when you’re in the moment it wasn’t a consideration. I know that might sound ridiculous, people think how stupid can you be? But we’re all human. We all have those desires. I’m as fallible as the next person.” The pair communicated by phone two or three times, but when they arranged a date at a pub near Parliament, Wragg was stood up. “It didn’t materialise obviously, because as it transpired he wasn’t real. But I didn’t know that at the time,” he explained. “And I didn’t hear from him until the next day. He was incredibly apologetic. I thought OK, he’s just had a bad day at work.” The nature of this seemingly nascent romantic relationship soon took a darker turn when ‘Charlie’ requested Wragg to send him the phone numbers of other men employed in Parliament. “He said ‘you’ve got two minutes to send me these numbers’. And that’s when it, as far as I was concerned, turned a bit weird.” The question arose: was he being blackmailed? “I don’t know,” he responded. “There was never anything that was explicit to say that, but I certainly felt a threat.” Wragg also conceded that amidst the allure of potential romance, he experienced “a sense of wanting to please” ‘Charlie’. He ultimately provided approximately a dozen phone numbers, including those for several MPs. At the time, then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated that Wragg was right to apologize, while minister Mel Stride characterized his actions as “exceptionally inappropriate and ill-advised.” When it was pointed out that his actions worsened the situation, leading to others also becoming victims, he replied, “Yeah and that is why I felt guilt,” adding, “That’s why I felt so, so sorry and shameful.” ‘Charlie’ also informed a few of the men he messaged in Westminster that he was a former researcher for Wragg. He asked the MP to falsely confirm this, and Wragg agreed. “That is what I feel the most regret for,” he conveyed. “Because it’s deceitful.” Wragg began to suffer panic attacks. “I remember one evening getting back to my flat in London, waking my flatmates up because I was just in a complete state,” he recounted. “I was shouting, crying, swearing, had this anger, and I didn’t know why. They were concerned but I couldn’t explain to them what it was.” Police had first been alerted to a catfisher targeting individuals involved in UK politics in late 2023, but the news became more widely known in April, after a story was published on the Politico news website. Catfishing involves creating a fake online identity to deceive and manipulate others. Wragg was on a train when he encountered the article. “My stomach just dropped,” he stated. “I thought gosh this must have so much to do with the person I’ve been interacting with.” When approached by a journalist from the Times, Wragg admitted to chatting with someone on an app who subsequently requested the numbers of others. He apologized for his “weakness,” relinquished the Conservative whip, and stepped down from his positions on two parliamentary committees. He had already announced that he would not seek re-election in the next general election. “When I found out some of the things that had been going on, I just felt enormous guilt, enormous remorse,” he told the interviewer. “My mood just plummeted.” Wragg had a history of mental health struggles and had already ceased taking his antidepressants, which he considers a contributing factor to the suicidal thoughts that led to his hospital admission. The Westminster catfishing operation was sophisticated and had been active for many months before Wragg became involved. However, he conceded that his actions resulted in friends and colleagues also becoming victims. Wragg expressed feeling “great regret” and stated he has “sought to apologise,” adding: “I hope I can explain it in the context of the almost sense of control, the influence this person had over me.” Nevertheless, one former MP who believes his number was passed on by Wragg told the BBC: “None of us to my recollection have ever received an apology from Will… It might be an idea for him to apologise to those he dropped in the dirt.” Contrary to some early speculation, police have stated they do not believe any other foreign state was involved. In June, a member of the Labour Party in his mid-20s was arrested in London on suspicion of harassment and offences under the Online Safety Act. He has been granted bail until late November. Seven months after the peak of the scandal, Wragg has moved on from the world of Westminster. He reports feeling significantly happier, he says, but still refers to the “shame” he experiences and the “havoc” the catfisher wrought. “I have no bitterness or anger left in me,” he stated when asked about his feelings towards the catfisher. “Because I felt so wretched and awful in myself.” He theorizes that their motivations included sexual gratification and the power they exerted over others. “My only wish for them is not to do it any more,” he said. “And to understand that impersonating or pretending to be somebody… it’s not victimless. It is very real and its psychological impact is particularly strong.” Wragg expressed hope that by sharing his experience, he might assist others in recognizing the indicators of catfishing and reporting it. ActionFraud has recorded nearly 7,500 reports of dating scams this year to date. “It’s a source of great shame that my time in Parliament ended in this way,” he remarked. On his final day as an MP, Wragg had a consultation with a psychologist, which he humorously described as “a fitting summation” of his nine years in the Commons. “They have two mental health beds available at any one time for members of Parliament. And it’s surprising how often they’re occupied.” The distress of recent months has unquestionably affected his interest in dating. When asked if he believes he will find love, he replied, “I hope so, yes,” adding, “But I’m being a bit more guarded at the moment.” If you’ve been affected by the issues in this story, help and support is available via BBC Action Line Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.