Oliver Steadman faces prosecution over WhatsApp messages that targeted MPs, ministers and journalists with explicit images
A former Labour councillor has been charged with blackmail and communications offences as part of the investigation into the Westminster “honeytrap” scandal that saw MPs and political figures receive explicit images and flirtatious messages from anonymous WhatsApp accounts.
Oliver Steadman, 28, from Archway in north London, faces one count of blackmail and five communications offences in relation to five alleged victims working in politics and Westminster. The Crown Prosecution Service announced the charges on Tuesday following a Metropolitan Police investigation into messages sent between October 2023 and April 2024.
The scandal erupted in April when former Conservative MP William Wragg admitted he had given personal contact numbers of fellow MPs to someone he met on Grindr, the gay dating app, after sending explicit photographs of himself and fearing blackmail if he did not comply with their demands.
At least a dozen men working in Westminster – including a minister, MPs and journalists – reported being targeted by someone using the aliases “Charlie” or “Abi” in what security experts described as a sophisticated “spear phishing” operation. The messages would typically claim prior acquaintance with the target before escalating to sexually explicit content.
Malcolm McHaffie, Head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Special Crime Division, said: “We have decided to prosecute Oliver Steadman with blackmail and five communications offences in relation to a total of five victims working within politics and Westminster.
He added: “This follows an investigation by the Metropolitan Police Service which looked into messages that included alleged unsolicited indecent images sent to a number of people within parliamentary political circles between October 2023 and April 2024 using WhatsApp.
Steadman was elected as a Labour councillor for Islington in May 2024, just weeks after the scandal became public, but was suspended by the party following his arrest in June. He resigned from the council a month later, forcing a by-election just two months after his election victory. His sudden departure from local politics and the fact his social media accounts went private raised questions at the time about the circumstances of his resignation.
The specific charges against Steadman include one count of blackmail in relation to alleged unwarranted demands for the contact telephone numbers of up to 12 individuals. He also faces a communications offence of improper use of a public electronic communications network relating to the same victim, and four further communications offences concerning the improper use of a public electronic communications network in relation to four other victims, specifically regarding the sending of alleged unsolicited indecent images.
The honeytrap scandal sent shockwaves through Westminster when it emerged in spring 2024. Wragg, who was vice-chairman of the powerful 1922 Committee of Conservative backbenchers and chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, revealed he had been “scared” after exchanging intimate photographs with someone on Grindr who then demanded contact details for other politicians.
“They had compromising things on me. They wouldn’t leave me alone,” Wragg told The Times at the time. “I was scared. I’m mortified. I’m so sorry that my weakness has caused other people hurt.” The MP for Hazel Grove resigned the Conservative whip and stood down from his committee positions following the revelations. He later revealed he had contemplated suicide after the scandal broke.
The sophisticated nature of the operation raised immediate security concerns, with former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith suggesting at the time that a foreign state might be responsible. The perpetrator appeared to have detailed knowledge of Westminster’s inner workings, using familiar language and references that would resonate with political insiders.
Victims reported that messages would begin innocuously, with the sender claiming to have met them previously or having mutual acquaintances in Westminster. The conversations would then turn flirtatious before explicit images were sent, often with requests for reciprocation. Those targeted were typically men aged between 18 and 40 working in or around Parliament.
One former MP, speaking anonymously to the BBC, described receiving messages from someone claiming to be “Charlie” who said they knew each other from his time working in Parliament. The message ended with “Westminster misses you…” – a phrase the former MP said friends would typically use. “My heart did start racing because I thought everything, from the name of the individual, the familiarity, this is too close to be just a coincidence,” he said.
Dr Luke Evans, the Conservative MP for Hinckley and Bosworth, was among those who publicly acknowledged being targeted, posting a video on Facebook warning others about the scam. Dame Andrea Jenkyns also confirmed she had received suspicious messages.
The scandal exposed vulnerabilities in Westminster’s cybersecurity and raised questions about the use of personal messaging apps for political communications. Security experts noted that the popularity of WhatsApp and social media platforms made targeted attacks easier to execute, with malign actors able to create virtual numbers and purchase SIM cards anonymously.
The Metropolitan Police’s parliamentary liaison and investigation team conducted the probe that led to Steadman’s arrest. The fact that police first received reports about the messages in 2023 but initially failed to notify politicians added to concerns about the response to the threat.
At the time of his arrest, Steadman worked as a campaign manager for the mental health charity Mind, in addition to his role as a councillor. His political ambitions had been evident from an early age – he served on Stevenage Youth Council and was elected as Stevenage’s first Youth MP in 2016 before pursuing a career in Labour politics.
LabourList has confirmed that Steadman remains suspended from the Labour Party pending an internal investigation, which will be paused while legal proceedings take place. The party acted swiftly to suspend him following his arrest, distancing itself from the scandal that has now resulted in criminal charges.
The prosecution marks a significant development in a case that highlighted the vulnerability of politicians to sophisticated blackmail attempts in the digital age. The scandal prompted Parliament’s security department to review its protocols and issue enhanced guidance to MPs and staff about digital safety and the risks of malicious communications.
For Westminster, the case served as a wake-up call about the intersection of personal digital lives and professional security. The ease with which the perpetrator obtained and exploited personal information raised fundamental questions about how politicians protect themselves from compromise in an era of instant messaging and dating apps.
Steadman is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 3 November. The CPS has reminded all concerned that criminal proceedings are active and that the defendant has the right to a fair trial, warning against any reporting or online commentary that could prejudice proceedings.
The maximum sentence for blackmail under the Theft Act 1968 is 14 years’ imprisonment, whilst communications offences under the Communications Act 2003 can carry sentences of up to six months’ imprisonment per offence.
As the case moves to trial, it will likely reignite debates about cybersecurity in Westminster, the vulnerability of public figures to digital exploitation, and the adequacy of current protections against sophisticated social engineering attacks targeting those at the heart of British democracy.
Follow for more updates on Britannia Daily
