A senior Labour Party politician in Scotland has reportedly been charged on child grooming charges.
David Graham, a senior councillor representing Buckhaven, Methil and Wemyss Villages and a member of the Fife Council cabinet, was reportedly arrested by Police Scotland last week.
The left-wing Labour Party councillor, who also served as a member of Fife’s National Health Service (NHS) board, has since been charged with child grooming charges and suspended from the party, the BBC reports.
Commenting, the head of Fife Council’s of legal and democratic services, Lindsay Thomson said: “Councillor Graham was charged with an offence and has been suspended by the Labour party.
“He has stepped down from his council appointments pending the outcome of the investigation. No further comment can be made by the council during a live police investigation.
Graham, 41, was first elected as a councillor in 2012 and has since taken up roles with the Fife Community Safety Partnership and the Fife Alcohol & Drug Partnership. He also served as the spokesperson for health and social care for the Fife Council cabinet. Previously the politician worked as a parliamentary assistant to Labour Party Member of Scottish Parliament (MSP) Claire Baker.
A Police Scotland spokesman said: “A 41-year-old man has been arrested and charged in relation to grooming offences following an investigation in Fife.
“He has been released on an undertaking to appear at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court at a later date. Further enquiries are ongoing.”