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A serving Gloucester city councillor has been arrested and released under investigation on suspicion of an alleged 'upskirting' incident at the city's TK Maxx store.

Lee Hawthorne, the Conservative member for Quedgeley Fieldcourt, has been suspended by his party, it was also confirmed, as reported by the Mirror.

Councillor Paul James (C, Longlevens), leader of Gloucester Ciity Council, said: "I can confirm that Lee's membership of the Conservative Group on the city council has been suspended pending the outcome of the police investigation.

"As it is an active investigation it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time."

Mr Hawthorne is among the first to be arrested since upskirting was made a specific criminal offence earlier this year.

Officers were called to TK Maxx, in Northgate Street on Thursday June 27, following reports that an incident of upskirting had taken place.

A spokesperson for Gloucestershire Constabulary said: "Officers arrested a 39-year-old man from Gloucester on suspicion of voyeurism on Wednesday (July 17).

"The arrest is in relation to a CCTV appeal that we issued earlier this week about an incident of up skirting which took place inside TK Maxx on Northgate Street, Gloucester on Thursday 27 June.

"The man has since been released under investigation and we would like to both reassure the public that all incidents of this nature will be taken seriously and thank those who helped with our CCTV appeal."

Mr Hawthorne sits on the authority’s overview and scrutiny committee, as well as the planning committee.

According to his register of interests, he is a manager at the Alzheimer’s Society and a director at Gloucester Dementia Action Alliance.

Upskirting, which became a criminal offence in April, is a colloquial term referring to the action of placing equipment such as a camera or mobile phone beneath a person’s clothing to take a voyeuristic photograph without their permission.

It is not only confined to victims wearing skirts or dresses and equally applies when men or women are wearing kilts, cassocks shorts or trousers.