SCOTLAND MSP ARRESTED OVER CHILD ABUSE IMAGES
Scottish Labour MSP Colin Smyth has been arrested and charged over possession of indecent images of children.The 52-year-old, who has represented South Scotland since 2016, was taken into custody at a property in Dumfries earlier this month.
Smyth has been suspended by Scottish Labour and is now listed as an independent on the parliament website.
He is scheduled to appear before Dumfries Sheriff Court at a later date.
Smyth has held various frontbench roles, most recently in April 2023, and previously served as Scottish Labour's general secretary.
His phone was answered but then disconnected when BBC Scotland News initially tried to contact him.
Smyth issued a statement saying, "These events have come as a shock and this is a deeply stressful time.
I am obviously cooperating fully with any inquiries and hope the matter can be resolved quickly.
I am not able to comment further at this stage." A Labour spokesperson stated, "The whip has been removed from Colin Smyth MSP, pending an investigation.
We cannot comment further on this matter while the investigation is ongoing." Smyth, who was previously a modern studies teacher, has children, and in Holyrood magazine, he spoke proudly about his wife and daughters.
It is understood that the party suspended Smyth over the weekend after becoming aware of the police investigation.
Smyth was arrested on August 5th.
He appeared in a video with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar posted on social media two days later, which has since been deleted.
