Former Lord Mayor kicked out of Labour Party as he faces sentence for making indecent images

A former Lord Mayor of a Merseyside borough has been expelled from the Labour Party after admitting sex abuse images charges.

Paul Tweed, 61, who represents the Litherland ward on Sefton Council, has now been an elected councillor for more than three decades.

He has held a number of high ranking positions on the local authority, including holding the cabinet portfolio for corporate services and performance between 2012 and 2015. He became Sefton's Lord Mayor for the year 2008/09, attending numerous events as the borough's first citizen.

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He appeared at Wirral Magistrates' Court last week having been arrested and charged on three counts of making indecent images of children, the Liverpool Echo reports.

Court listings show that Tweed, of York Close in Netherton, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent photographs/pseudo-photographs of children at his home between September 9 2020 and May 13 2024. He also pleaded guilty to possession of indecent photographs/pseudo-photographs of children.

Merseyside Police today confirmed that Tweed was arrested on September 24 as part of an ongoing investigation into sexual offences. He appeared in court the following day. He will be sentenced next month.

The Sefton Labour group said it took "immediate action" to remove Tweed as a member after it became aware of the offences, but despite Sefton Council asking him to resign following his guilty pleas last week, he currently remains an elected member of the council, sitting as an independent.

A spokesperson for Sefton Council said: "We were extremely shocked to hear of these charges and subsequent guilty plea and we have written to Councillor Paul Tweed asking him to resign with immediate effect.

"As a council this is completely at odds with our values and high standards the public expect and deserve. We will assist the police investigation in any way we can."

A statement from Sefton Labour Group said: "We are deeply troubled to hear of these disturbing charges. Immediate action has been taken in response and we can confirm that Councillor Tweed is no longer a member of Sefton Labour Group or the Labour Party."

Tweed will appear for sentencing at Liverpool Magistrates' Court on November 6 to allow time for a for pre-sentence report to be obtained.