A Tory MP on bail for rape has given a parliamentary job to a party activist sacked by the police for turning up to work “coked off his tits.”
Starbuck Coleman, 36, was sacked in July 2022 by the British Transport Police (BTP) after testing positive for cocaine and alcohol while on duty as a custody sergeant in London.
However, the “posh” ex-cop, who is well-connected in Tory party circles and had political ambitions, privately persuaded the chief constable to keep his identity secret from the public.
Months later, Starbuck began working for Andrew Rosindell, the MP for Romford.
Rosindell, 57, is not allowed to enter the parliamentary estate after making his own secret agreement with the Tory whips office.
It follows the MP’s arrest in May last year on suspicion of indecent assault, sexual assault, rape, abuse of a position of trust and misconduct in public office.
The alleged offences took place between 2002 and 2009 in London. The Metropolitan police confirms that specialist detectives have been investigating since January 2020 and recently extended Rosindell’s bail until next February.
The secrecy around the sacking of Starbuck raises questions about the judgment of BTP chief constable Lucy D’Orsi, who refuses to explain her decision to grant anonymity.
Starbuck and Rosindell did not respond to detailed questions about why the sacked cop wanted his disgrace hidden from the public and whether the MP had made representations to the chief constable.
The Upsetter’s disclosures today also expose flaws in the security and vetting system of the Commons, coming so soon after the arrest of a young British man with a parliamentary pass and access to top Tory MPs on suspicion of being a Chinese spy.
Again, Starbuck and Rosindell did not respond to questions about what they told government officials during the vetting process for his parliamentary pass, which he has now held for over nine months.
Meanwhile, as we enter the election cycle, privacy rulings by unelected judges on what can be reported about the arrest of public figures has had a chilling effect on media organisations.
The Sunday Times stood alone in July arguing there was a public interest in naming Rosindell. The Mirror and The People have now joined in after publishing The Upsetter’s exclusive today.
This newsletter believes a politician arrested for serious sexual offences who gave a disgraced ex-cop his job back in parliament is worthy of ventilation.
You, the voters, not shameless privacy lawyers working for the rich and powerful, should decide.
Eye Candy
Starbuck is a minor public schoolboy born Stephen Alan Lewis Coleman in 1987. Records show he was calling himself ‘Starbuck’ while studying geography at University College London since 2005.