Mr Peter Tuffley

Mr Peter Tuffley, studied politics at Liverpool University and had worked as a Regional officer for the Labour Party for 13 months. He had stood for the Liverpool Council in 2003 for Croxteth unsuccessfully. Peter had worked as an aide of Police Minister Hazel Blears, running her constituency office between 2001 and 2004 before taking up his North West post. BBC News

On March 21st 2005 he was arrested for allegedly abducting a 13-year-old boy he met on the Internet, who spent the night at his ground floor flat in in Little Parkfield Road, near Lark Lane, Aigburth.

At the time a spokesman for Greater Manchester Police confirmed "that a man of 27 had been arrested in the Liverpool area under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 concerning the grooming of a child for sexual purposes."

He said: "A man has been arrested and his computer was taken away for examination. We will now begin the process of video interviewing the boy in question. This is expected to take at least a week."

Mr Tuffley, who now lives at Pipersfield, Ridgewood, East Sussex, just in time for the Labour Party Conference, appeared in Bolton Crown Court this week. On 12 March,2005 Mr Tuffley is alleged to have picked the boy up from school, before driving him driving back to his Liverpool flat. Police were alerted by the boy's parents after he left a note saying he was with "Peter", the court was told.

They watched videos then got into bed together, the court heard. The boy said they kissed and cuddled.

Mr Geoff Whelan prosecuting said: "The key issue is age. There is no doubt Boy A (who lived in Bolton) was a willing participant in whatever activity took place. They were both were registered members of a website chat room called Face Party.

"The problem for the defendant is Boy A was a 13-year-old boy. A child in the eye's of the law. There is ample evidence the defendant knew his age." BBC News

Tuffley denies charges of grooming over the internet, child abduction and sexual activity with a child. He was found guilty on FRiday SEptember 28th of abducting a 13-year-old boy from Bolton he had "groomed" on the internet.

Tuffley was bailed until December 1 for sentence at Bolton Crown Court for which he faces up to ten years imprisonment. He may also be prosecuted on a further charge of possessing child pornography on his home computer.