A family court judge has found that an ex-Tory minister had raped and physically abused his wife.

Judge Elizabeth Williscroft had been overseeing a dispute between Andrew Griffiths and Kate Griffiths, who are now divorced, at a private family court hearing in Derby. Andrew Griffiths, former MP for Burton in East Staffordshire, had allegedly raped his wife when she was asleep and physically and verbally assaulted her. He had used "coercive and controlling behaviour" to pressurise Kate into engaging in sexual intercourse.

He was also found to have hit her, pushed her into a wall, put his hands around her neck, spat at her and thrown a tray of food over her. He employed threats to make her homeless or leave her without money.

Andrew had resigned from the government as business minister in July 2018 for sending 2,000 sexually explicit messages to constituents. In November 2019, he stepped down as an MP. Kate Griffiths stood in his place as Conservative MP for Burton and was elected as the new MP for the area.

Kate Griffiths had supported an application by two journalists – Tortoise Media's Louise Tickle and PA Media's Brian Farmer – for the judgment to be published, including the names of her and her ex-husband even though she had a right to anonymity.

She said in a statement: "I supported publication of the family court's findings – and waived my right to anonymity – because I recognise the unique position I am in to campaign to improve the outcomes of cases such as this, for those who endure domestic violence, and the actions taken to protect the children involved."