Reform UK suspends councillor George Madgwick after rape charge
Reform UK has suspended councillor George Madgwick after he was charged with 35 criminal offences involving four victims over a 13-year period.
- Headline: Reform UK suspends councillor George Madgwick after rape charge
- Dispatch Summary: Reform UK has suspended councillor George Madgwick after he was charged with 35 criminal offences involving four victims over a 13-year period.
- Verification: Corroborated across independent reporting outlets with primary sources and real-time wire transmissions.
What charges does George Madgwick face?
George Madgwick, the leader of Reform UK on Hampshire County Council, has been charged with 35 criminal offences involving four victims over a 13-year period. The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed the charges against the 37-year-old politician, which include 12 counts of rape, two counts of assault by penetration, and two of sexual assault. According to police and prosecutors, the allegations span from 2008 to 2021 and cover incidents in Portsmouth and Wales, with the complainants aged between 16 and 17 at the time.
The extensive charge sheet also includes two counts of making indecent images of children, one count of distributing an indecent image of a child, and one count of causing or inciting the sexual exploitation of a child. Additionally, Madgwick faces eight counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts of controlling or coercive behaviour, one count of stalking, one of making threats to kill, one of false imprisonment, one of theft, and one of criminal damage.
A spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service 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.
How did the police investigation unfold?
The criminal case against the Reform UK councillor stems from a police inquiry. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary launched its investigation on July 24, 2025, after receiving an initial report of a sexual offence. Hampshire Constabulary's Operation Amberstone team drove the inquiry forward over subsequent months.
Officers arrested Madgwick on January 6 at an address in Wandsworth, London, before he was later charged by the CPS on Tuesday. Law enforcement and judicial authorities have placed strict boundaries on public commentary now that court proceedings are formally underway.
A spokesperson from the Crown Prosecution Service said: 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.
- July 24, 2025: Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary launches an investigation after receiving a report of a sexual offence.
- January 6: Police arrest George Madgwick at an address in Wandsworth, London.
- Tuesday: The Crown Prosecution Service formally charges Madgwick with 35 offences.
- November 25: Madgwick is bailed to appear at Portsmouth Magistrates' Court.
What are Madgwick's political roles and how has Reform UK responded?
Madgwick represents North East Havant on Hampshire County Council and Paulsgrove on Portsmouth City Council, where he was first elected in 2021 after founding the Portsmouth Independents Party. He subsequently joined Reform UK, rising to become the leader of the party's group on Hampshire County Council and chairman of its Corporate Services and Resources Select Committee. Beyond local councils, his profile on the Hampshire and the Solent Combined County Authority notes that he plays an active role in helping to shape strategic decisions on transport, housing, skills and economic development across the region.
His high public profile also drew recent media scrutiny. Last month, Madgwick appeared in the ITV News Exposure documentary Undercover: A Year In Reform, where he was filmed voicing support for the Portsmouth Patriots anti-immigration group. Following the broadcast, he accused the broadcaster of electoral interference and stated that the undercover reporters potentially had an impact on the result of council elections.
Following the CPS announcement, party headquarters moved swiftly to distance themselves from the sitting councillor. A Reform UK spokesperson told the Mirror: Cllr Madgwick has been suspended from Reform UK with immediate effect.
What happens next in the legal proceedings?
With bail granted following his charging, Madgwick is scheduled to make his initial appearance before magistrates later this month. Portsmouth Magistrates' Court is set to handle the hearing on November 25, where he is due to appear.
