Ex-MP accused of sexual misconduct and cocaine use, dies 'unexpectedly'

A former Conservative MP who quit after being accused of sexual misconduct and cocaine use has died at the age of 59, police have said.

David Warburton, who represented the Somerset constituency of Somerton and Frome between 2015 and June 2023, was found dead in west London on Tuesday, Scotland Yard said.

Officers were called to an address in Sands End in Fulham, where they found a man in his 50s dead at the scene, the force said, adding his death is being treated as "unexpected but not suspicious".

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The former backbench MP had admitted taking the Class A drug but denied claims of sexual misconduct against him and hit out at a parliamentary investigation into the allegations, which had taken 14 months by the time he stepped down.

He said he had not been given a fair hearing and was left with "no choice" but to provoke "the upheaval of a by-election", which was won by Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Dyke.

The seat was abolished as part of boundary changes that came into effect at last summer's general election.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said on Monday: "Police were called by the London Ambulance Service at 10.47hrs on Tuesday, 26 August to an address at Chelsea Crescent, Sands End.

"A man in his 50s was found dead at the scene. His next of kin have been informed.

"His death is being treated as unexpected but not suspicious."

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: "We were called on Tuesday 26 August at 10.14am to reports of an incident in Chelsea Crescent, Chelsea Harbour, SW10.

"We sent (an) ambulance crew and a clinician on a bicycle.

"Sadly, a man was pronounced dead at the scene."

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Mr Warburton was first elected in 2015 with a majority of 20,268, or 53% of the vote.

He was re-elected in 2017 and 2019, with majorities of 22,906 and 19,213, respectively.