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A community stalwart has apologised and resigned from his post as a town councillor after admitting indecently assaulting a schoolboy.

Peter McClaughlin admitted two counts of indecent assault on a 15-year-old boy dating back to the 1990s before Carlisle Crown Court.

The 61-year-old former chairman of Stanley Town Council in County Durham entered the guilty plea as he prepared to stand trial for the third time facing 15 similar allegations of abusing the boy.

An earlier hearing had heard how McLaughlin committed the offences in the 1990s when he lived in the Greystone Road area of Carlisle.

The prosecution claimed the abuse started when the victim was just 13, but the defendant continues to deny this.

Earlier, the court heard that the defendant deliberately befriended his victim at a time when he worked as a driver for Redcrest Holidays, travelling all over Britain and Europe.

In court earlier this month, prosecutor Kim Whittlestone outlined how the allegations have already been scrutinised during two trials.

After the first, the jury were unable to reach a verdict while in the most recent trial the illness of a juror led to the case being abandoned.

Following the admission he stood down from his position as a councillor as well as resigning from the Labour party.

Speaking to the Sunday Sun from his Murray Park home in Stanley, County Durham, said he would apologise to the victim.

He added: “Of course I have got apologies.

“I apologise.”

When asked if he had anything to say for people who voted for him when stood as a councillor McLaughlin added: “What do you mean.”

He will be sentenced in Carlisle Crown Court on January 2.