Picture – Houses of Parliament at Westminster. Credit – By Terry Ott from Washington, DC
By Eireyn Craig and Jessica Downs
A former Labour councillor is facing a string of charges in relation to alleged WhatsApp messages to five people within the Westminster circle.
Oliver Steadman, 28, was charged with one count of blackmail in relation to alleged unwarranted demands for the contact telephone numbers of up to 12 individuals.
Another charge involves an alleged communications offence of improper use of a public electronic communications network, in relation to the same victim, according to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in England.
Following that he was also charged with four further communications offences, for the improper use of a public electronic communication network in relation to four other victims, relating to the sending of alleged unsolicited indecent images.
Head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Special Crime Division, Malcolm McHaffie stated: “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.
“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”.
Mr. Steadman is set to appear for his first hearing on the 3rd of November 2025 at Westminster Magistrate’s court.
