William Wragg: Tory MP admits to sharing personal numbers with dating app contact amid Westminster 'honeytrap' attempt

A Tory MP has admitted to sharing the personal contact details of fellow MPs to someone he met on a dating app following reports that at least 12 men in Westminster have been targeted in an attempted honeytrap.

William Wragg told The Times that he was “scared” that the person he had met on the gay dating app Grindr had “compromising things on me”, adding that he shared intimate pictures of himself with the contact. Wragg shared the information with the contact, later apologising and saying that he had “hurt people by being weak”.

He said: "They had compromising things on me. They wouldn't leave me alone. They would ask for people. I gave them some numbers, not all of them. I told him to stop. He's manipulated me and now I've hurt other people.

"I got chatting to a guy on an app and we exchanged pictures. We were meant to meet up for drinks, but then didn't. Then he started asking for numbers of people. I was worried because he had stuff on me. He gave me a WhatsApp number, which doesn't work now. I've hurt people by being weak. I was scared. I'm mortified. I'm so sorry that my weakness has caused other people hurt."

Leicestershire Police opened an investigation into one of the 12 reports of MPs being sent unsolicited messages and naked images last month. The honeytrap attempt included sitting and former MPs being contacted by an unknown numbers named only as ‘Abi’ or ‘Charlie’ in WhatsApp, with the unknown person detailing prior meetings with politicians in an attempt to gain personal and sensitive information.

One unidentified former MP told the BBC that he believed he was being targeted after receiving messages and an explicit image from a WhatsApp number only identified as “Charlie”. The ex-MP, who later blocked the number, only realised that he had been targeted after news site Politico reported on the attempted honeytrap scam. He said: "My heart did start racing because I thought everything you're saying from the start, from the name of the individual, the familiarity, this is too close to be just a coincidence."  A Parliamentary spokesperson said: “Parliament takes security extremely seriously and works closely with government in response to such incidents. We provide Members and staff with tailored advice, making them aware of security risks and how to manage their digital safety. We are encouraging anyone affected who has concerns to contact the Parliamentary Security Department.”