Cooper Bay Villas, a luxury resort located in Tortola’s sun-drenched island of Tortola is discreetly hidden.
Set in 1.7 acres of perfectly manicured tropical gardens, this dream destination is where Sir Geoffrey Cox QC, the Tory MP for Torridge and West Devon, was billeted while beavering away at his ‘second job’.
Temporary digs can be a good option.
Worth £3.1million, the five-bedroom, five-bathroom residence is split across two villas and no expense was spared, gushes a local estate agent, in the property that ‘redefines luxury and contemporary island living’.
Cooper Bay Villas, secluded above the idyllic Tortola beach on the sunny holiday island of Tortola is the ultimate in luxury.
Set in 1.7 acres of perfectly manicured tropical gardens, this dream destination is where Sir Geoffrey Cox QC, the Tory MP for Torridge and West Devon, was billeted while beavering away at his ‘second job’
In the main house, there’s an impressive living and media room with soaring Bali-style woven ceilings, an enormous kitchen with professional-grade appliances perfect for whipping up an after-work meal, marble bathrooms and bedrooms where occupants are lulled to sleep by Atlantic breezes and the sound of gently lapping waves.
A vast deck faces the ocean with breathtaking views of brilliant blue waters and there’s an infinity plunge pool with loungers and a barbecue.
The famously secluded Cooper Bay is a short walk away and the sandy beach of Trunk Bay is just around the corner, yet the property is only ten minutes’ drive from Road Town, the capital of the British Virgin Islands.
Road Town is a noisy, bustling port, where huge cruise ships disgorge tourists each day, and where yachts sail in-and-out. Sir Geoffrey also works for inter-national law firm Withers.
The MP, who was sacked as the Government’s top legal officer in February 2020, was staying at the property while acting on behalf of the British Overseas Territory’s government in a courtroom inquiry, ordered by the Foreign Office, into allegations of corruption, abuse of office and ‘other serious dishonesty’ by the BVI’s political class.
The 61-year-old lawyer, who took advantage of temporary Covid rules that allowed MPs to appoint a ‘proxy’ to vote on his behalf and was thus able to be some 4,000 miles away on Tortola, has been devoting an astonishing number of hours a week to his legal work.
Sir Geoffrey, who charges almost £1,000 an hour for his legal services, earned almost £300,000 from Withers between late March and the end of April, working for 311 hours, according to Commons disclosures.
In the past six months, Sir Geoffrey spent 680 hours working for Withers, raking in £637,235 in the process, taking his total earnings outside his parliamentary work to well over £1million a year.
Sir Geoffrey took a second trip to BVI in June. It’s not known if his wife Jeanie or any of his adult children accompanied him.
Local sources claim that Sir Geoffrey on these trips is treated like a senior British dignitary.
On the orders of the Premier of the British Virgin Islands, Andrew Fahie, whose nickname among locals is the rather undignified ‘Fat Albert’, the eminent QC is fast-tracked through immigration and transported around the island by trusted government drivers. Sir Geoffrey, who is on leave from Ritter House, the place where the inquiry is taking place, socializes with his legal colleagues and stays under radar.
He has, however, been spotted at the island’s upmarket Brandywine Estate restaurant that specialises in French and New World cuisine.
With a beautiful view from your bedroom, you can wake up in the morning and enjoy the fresh sea breeze.
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The rent for Sir Geoffrey’s luxury quarters is estimated to be £5,200 a week and the bill is being picked up by the BVI government and taxpayers.
Some £3.7million has been put aside for the cost of the inquiry, of which £2.2million has been spent so far.
Dickson Igwe is a respected columnist from the area who was outspoken about his amazement at Sir Geoffrey’s time spent in BVI, and that he stayed in such lavish quarters.
‘I’m surprised that a British MP is living such a jet- setting lifestyle, staying in a ridiculously expensive property like this, because ultimately it’s the BVI taxpayers who will be paying for it and his British constituents who are not getting his full attention,’ he said.
On Friday, Sir Geoffrey’s parliamentary aide said the MP was not responsible for booking the villa. ‘It was not done by him and was for the whole legal team, who occupied it throughout the inquiry,’ Alison Ramsay told The Guardian.
She added: ‘Sir Geoffrey has no idea how much it was rented for.’