Portsmouth MP's Son's Assault Trial Delayed

29 April 2014, 12:05 | Updated: 29 April 2014, 12:32

Portsmouth MP Mike Hancock's son's trial, on a charge of assaulting a newspaper photographer, has been adjourned until June because some evidence wasn't ready yet.

Dean Hancock, 37, appeared at Fareham Magistrates' Court today (Tuesday 29 April) to face the charge of assault causing actual bodily harm in connection with the incident involving Steve Reigate of the Daily Express.

The alleged fracas happened outside the family home in Rockingham Way, Portchester, Fareham, Hampshire, on 23 January 2014.

A trial was set to be held today but was put off after Vivian Ducie, prosecuting, said that some of the evidence, including unedited video footage of the incident, was not yet available and had not been disclosed to Hancock's defence solicitor.

District Judge Anne Arnold adjourned the case until 13 June at Portsmouth Magistrates' Court and released Hancock on bail until then.

At an earlier hearing, Hancock entered a plea of not guilty and elected for the trial to be held at the same court rather than by a jury at a Crown Court.

The defendant's father is being sued in the High Court by a "vulnerable'' female constituent who alleges that the MP for Portsmouth South sexually assaulted her.

The 68-year-old, who has been suspended from the Liberal Democrat Party until the outcome of the civil case, denies the allegations.