'I had a one-night stand with Simon 1 hour after we met in a gay Net

A BISEXUAL civil engineer told last night how he had "frantic" late-night sex with Lib-Dem leadership hopeful Simon Hughes less than an hour after meeting him on a gay website.

Greg Nesbett, 28, said he met up with the MP after exchanging messages in the early hours of the morning in an internet chatroom on Gay.com.

He said: "It was rapid and businesslike, he made contact with me in the chatroom, came to my house then we got straight into it. "Within an hour, I was having sex with a man twice my age. I was happy when it was over. And it soon was."

The website has sections for dating, chat, gay weddings, clubbing and HIV advice. New features on the chat page are for "rough sex" and "XXX pictures". At any time there can be up to 20,000 members in the site's chatrooms. Last night the Hughes scandal was leading Gay.com news section.

Greg told how he logged on to the site using the name GregSW3- 25, a nickname that revealed his whereabouts and age at around 2am on a week night in the summer of 2002.

In his profile he stipulated that he was a "bottom" looking for a "top".

Hughes' profile stated his age but did not have a photograph or state anything about his own sexual tastes.

Reading Greg's profile and seeing the picture of the handsome engineer, the then 50-year-old MP for North Bermondsey and Southwark made the approach with little romance or delay.

He told Greg he was "active" and wanted sex within the hour.

Greg invited him to his one-bedroom Chelsea flat. Soon after, he heard his doorbell ring and invited the mystery man upstairs.

"Greg said: "I hadn't bothered to clean the flat for him - we both knew that this wasn't a date. I was wearing just my tee-shirt and shorts. He was wearing a collared shirt and trousers.

"I immediately recognised him as Simon Hughes because my family has always been interested in politics, but I didn't say anything, that wasn't what it was all about. There was no time for a drink or chit-chat. We went straight into my bedroom and took off our own clothes.

"We quickly got down to business. He was very eager and enthusiastic, but he wasn't a great-looking man -let's be honest. He had a pronounced pot-belly.

"There wasn't really any kissing - I didn't want that. He was business-like, knew what he wanted and he knew what I wanted." Greg said Hughes left soon after, without indicating whether he wanted to see him again.

"And that was fine with me, it's just the way it works with these gay websites. From his performance you wouldn't think he was terribly experienced, but you never know."

He was born in Israel, where his family still live, but has taken the English name Greg.

The engineer was born in Israel but has taken the English name Greg. He said he did not want to come forward with his story before Hughes had come clean about his sexuality.

Greg said: "I never wanted to do him any damage. I know how hard it is to come out. Lib-Dem voters are not closed-minded - I don't think this will isolate his constituents."

A spokesman for the MP said: "Mr Hughes' private life is a matter that will remain private and we will be making no further comment on his private life."

michael.duffy@sundaymirror.co.uk

COMMENT: Page 14

Copyright 2006 MGN LTD
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.