Ex-Labour Councillor Charged With Blackmail in Westminster Honeytrap Scandal
Oliver Steadman, a former Labour councillor from Islington, has been charged with blackmail and multiple communications offences over his alleged role in the Westminster "honeytrap" scandal. The charges relate to WhatsApp messages sent to five people working in politics, including claims he demanded phone numbers of up to 12 individuals and sent unsolicited indecent images. The CPS said the messages were sent between October 2023 and April 2024 and involved figures "within parliamentary political circles."
The wider scandal erupted last year when several MPs and political staffers reported receiving flirtatious WhatsApp messages from someone posing as “Abi” or “Charlie.” The messages often included career details to build trust before turning sexual. In at least two cases, explicit images were exchanged, and former Conservative MP William Wragg admitted sharing colleagues’ numbers under pressure, saying he was “scared” after being blackmailed with compromising material.
Steadman, 28, resigned from his council role after his arrest in June and had been suspended from the Labour Party. The CPS said it was pursuing charges because there was "sufficient evidence to bring this case to court" and that prosecution was "in the public interest." He is set to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on November 3rd.
