Minor UK News

Reform UK's Madgwick Charged With 35 Offences, 12 Rapes

By The Daily Byte ·10 Nov 2026 ·3 min read

Portrait photograph of Reform UK councillor George Madgwick

Reform UK councillor George Madgwick, 37, has been charged with 35 offences, including 12 counts of rape, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has confirmed.

Madgwick, from Portsmouth, is the leader of the Reform UK group on Hampshire County Council and also sits on Portsmouth City Council. He has been suspended by Reform UK with immediate effect.

The charges follow a Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary investigation into allegations from four complainants relating to the period between 2008 and 2021, in Portsmouth and Wales. The alleged victims were aged 16 and 17 at the time of the reported offences.

The charges in detail

The 35 charges include:

12 counts of rape
two counts of assault by penetration
two counts of sexual assault
eight counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm
two counts of controlling or coercive behaviour
offences involving indecent images of children, including making and distributing indecent images
stalking, making a threat to kill, false imprisonment, theft and criminal damage

A CPS spokesperson said prosecutors had worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence and that it is in the public interest to bring the case to court.

Investigation and arrest

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary began its investigation on 24 July 2025, after receiving a report of a sexual offence. Officers first arrested Madgwick on 6 January 2026, before the CPS authorised the charges.

Madgwick was charged on Tuesday 3 November and released on bail. He is due to appear at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 25 November.

Madgwick represents North East Havant on Hampshire County Council and Paulsgrove on Portsmouth City Council. He appeared in the ITV News Exposure documentary Undercover: A Year In Reform shortly before the charges were announced.

Suspension and council role

Reform UK said Madgwick had been suspended “with immediate effect” after the charges were confirmed. A statement on the county council’s website confirmed that he has resigned from the Reform UK Group.

The county council said: “We are aware of the charges brought against Councillor George Madgwick. These are extremely serious allegations and, as criminal proceedings are now underway, it is not appropriate for the County Council to comment further at this time.”

Madgwick remains an elected member of the county council under the rules of the Local Government Act 1972.

Presumption of innocence

Criminal proceedings against Madgwick are now active. The CPS has reminded the public that he has the right to a fair trial and warned against reporting or commentary that could prejudice the proceedings.

Madgwick has denied any wrongdoing in a social media statement reported after the charges, insisting he is innocent and that due process must be allowed to run its course. The allegations have not been tested in court, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.