Taxpayers pick up bill for hotel room where Will Fowles is accused of a ‘serious assault’ of a colleague

Ringwood MP Will Fowles billed the taxpayer $960 for the hotel stay at the centre of a sexual assault investigation.

Victorian taxpayers have picked up the bill for the hotel stay at the centre of the Will Fowles sexual assault investigation.

The Ringwood MP was ­accused of a “serious assault” of a colleague at a city hotel after drinking at the parliamentary members’ bar in August.

Now the Herald Sun can ­reveal Mr Fowles has billed the taxpayer $960 for the room under the parliament’s travel allowance scheme.

Parliamentary rules allow MPs travelling 28km or more from their home bases to claim the allowance for the expenses incurred.

Will Fowles ­is accused of a ‘serious assault’ of a colleague.

It is intended to cover the cost of accommodation, meals and incidentals when MPs are “required” to stay away from home while performing public duties.

Guidelines permit MPs to stay overnight in the metropolitan area when there is a break of less than 10 hours between parliamentary sittings.

Parliamentary records show Mr Fowles claimed $1027.43 for the parliamentary sitting of the week of the alleged assault, including $960 for accommodation.

Mr Fowles is one of a number of lower house metropolitan MPs, from both major parties, who have routinely ­legitimately claimed the generous allowance.

He has vehemently denied any wrongdoing over the sexual assault allegations since being forced to resign from the parliamentary Labor Party and move to the crossbench.

He was interviewed by sex crimes detectives in October.

Mr Fowles has vehemently denied any wrongdoing over the sexual assault allegations. Picture: Mark Stewart

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said on Tuesday the ­investigation remained active.

The circumstances around the allegations have remained shrouded in secrecy, with even senior government staffers ­unclear of the details.

A complaint was first lodged with the Premier’s office on Thursday, August 3.

It prompted a two-day investigation by the Premier’s private office, which led to a formal referral being made to Victoria Police.

Sources told the Herald Sun that in the hours before the ­alleged incident, Mr Fowles’ behaviour in the parliament bar was “rude” and “erratic”.

The alleged victim was seen with Mr Fowles for some of the evening.

It is understood they left the bar together before an alleged incident at a city hotel.

Mr Fowles has refused to ­return to parliament until the investigation into the allegations – now almost six months old – is finalised.

But he has significantly ­increased his social media presence in recent months, signalling he has no intention to step away from politics.

He declined an invitation to comment.