Nigel Evans (pictured in May this year) has been a member of Britain's Parliament since 1992
The deputy speaker of Britain's House of Commons resigned Tuesday after being charged with a variety of sexual offenses, including rape, in cases dating more than a decade.
Nigel Evans, a member of
the ruling Conservative Party, said he would "robustly defend my
innocence" when the case goes to trial. But he said he would remain in
Parliament, just not in the leadership, to continue to represent his
constituents.
"Whilst I am saddened
that this case has not been closed today, I am certain of two things:
firstly that I am innocent, and secondly that my innocence will be
demonstrated," Evans said in a statement.
Evans has been charged
with one count of rape, five counts of sexual assault -- a charge
involving allegations of intentional, unwanted sexual touching -- and
two counts of indecent assault. The eight counts involve a total of
seven people, prosecutors said.
All of the victims in the
charges are men, prosecutors said in a statement announcing the
charges. Evans came out as gay in 2010 and has made a name for himself
as a prominent gay rights activist in England.
The investigation began
in May, when Evans was arrested and questioned by police after two men
in their 20s leveled accusations against him. The charges date back as
far as 2002, prosecutors said.
Evans has been a member
of Parliament since 1992 and served as the Tories' vice chairman between
1999 and 2001. The Conservatives had no comment on the charges, calling
it a police matter.
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