A Conservative Party councillor and frequent attack dog against social conservatives, Matthew Sephton, has been arrested as part of an ongoing police enquiry into child pornography.

Mr. Sephton — a Conservative councillor in Manchester and primary school teacher — curiously disappeared from social media a few weeks ago before it was announced by his local newspaper that he had been arrested during the investigation.

He has now been suspended from the Conservative group on the council as well as from the national Conservative Party.

Mr. Sephton, 41, frequently used his Twitter and Facebook accounts to take aim at conservatives and fellow Conservative Party members and activists.

While unpopular with the Tory base, his connections at the top of the party, afforded him the position of Parliamentary candidate at the 2010 General Election. His friendship with candidate list formulator David Jones led many to believe he would be afforded as safe seat at the 2020 General Election.

He lost the seat of Salford and Eccles, finishing third.

And Mr. Sephton has routinely been lauded by the Pink News website, which has used him for both commentary on “homophobia” as well giving him a platform to attack fellow Conservative Party members who he felt were not liberal enough on issues such as same sex marriage.

In 2013, he wrote a opinion column for the LGBT blog demanding more action was taken in the House of Lords to secure the same sex marriage bill.

The Pink News site carries no fewer than 49 references to Sephton, including one story from 2009 which laid out a run-in between an independent candidate and Sephton, during which the latter was referred to as a “homosexual pervert”.

Mr. Sephton’s remaining public Facebook activity shows him at events with former Prime Minister David Cameron, Prime Minister Theresa May, and at LGBT events.

A spokesman for the Conservative Party said: “A member has been suspended from the party and council group pending the conclusion of an ongoing police investigation.

“It is not appropriate to comment further.”

The National Crime Agency said in a statement: “National Crime Agency officers have arrested a 41-year-old male in the Altrincham area in relation to child abuse image offences”.

A Trafford Council spokesman said: “Trafford Council is aware of the situation but cannot comment further due to an ongoing investigation by the National Crime Agency”.