The home of an ex-Labour MP who was arrested on suspicion of ‘engaging in sexual communication with a child’ was searched by police.
Ivor Caplin’s £350,000 two-bedroom flat in Hove, East Sussex was searched by Specialist Police after he was arrested yesterday afternoon.
Residents neaby described a number of cars and vans were seen outside the property ‘for hours’.
One told the Sun: ‘There was a large number of police that came, and an officer was very clearly in charge and was giving directions.’
It comes after a video shared on social media shows a man who identifies himself as Mr Caplin being handcuffed by police officers.
Sussex Police have confirmed they have arrested a 66-year-old man on suspicion of engaging in sexual communication with a child.
The former MP was stopped by a group of activists who claimed they had arranged to meet him there posing as an ‘underage boy’.
The group’s leader, Dean Rowland, alleged the former minister was at Hove station in order to meet with the 15-year-old child – something which Mr Caplin denied multiple times on video.
The man is seen being held by people involved in the sting
Footage of the arrest has been shared online showing a man wearing a black trench coat and a red cap being held by officers
Sussex Police have confirmed they have arrested a 66-year-old man on suspicion of engaging in sexual communication with a child
Mr Rowland claims his group handed their ‘evidence’ over to officers after the police were called.
Footage of the arrest has been shared online showing a man wearing a black trench coat and a red cap being held by officers.
Police then appear to take the arrested man’s phone and put it inside an evidence bag.
A police spokesperson said: ‘We are aware of footage circulating on social media showing a man in Brighton being detained on suspicion of engaging in sexual communication with a child.
‘Officers can confirm that a local 66-year-old man was arrested on Saturday January 11 and currently remains in custody.
‘This is an ongoing and active investigation.’
It is understood that Mr Caplin denies all allegations against him.
Mr Caplin, was the MP for Hove after Labour’s 1997 electoral win until 2005, was last year suspended from the Party over ‘serious allegations’ – which he denies.
The former Hove MP, who represented the constituency between 1997 and 2005, was suspected from the Labour Party over serious allegations
Mr Caplin, then MP for Hove, left, with then Prime Minister, Tony Blair
In 2001 he became as assistant Government whip and then a junior defence minister and minister for Veterans at the Ministry of Defence.
Mr Caplin was suspended from the Labour Party in May 2024 and is no longer a member.
MailOnline has approached Mr Caplin for comment.
In one of the videos shared online, Mr Caplin is seen being handcuffed as he is held by two men.
In the video, the officer is heard telling him that he was arresting him to ‘protect a vulnerable person – namely a child’.
The former MP answered the questions asked by the officer.
After being cuffed he is then taken into the hands of the police officers who then search him.
The officer removes the phone from the suspended Labour member’s pockets, placing it inside an evidence bag.
In the video he denies any wrongdoing claiming he was going into town.
He also confirmed he used to be a veterans minister when he was asked.