21:24

The Guardian’s Joanna Walters has more on Anthony Weiner being investigated for allegedly sending sexually explicit texts to an underage girl:

Anthony Weiner. Photograph: Richard Drew/AP

Disgraced former US congressman Anthony Weiner is being investigated by the New York police department and also reportedly by the federal authorities after reports emerged that he was allegedly conducting an online sexual relationship with a 15-year-old in another state earlier this year.



Weiner, whose career previously nosedived after he was caught sending sexually explicit texts and images to women while he was still married, allegedly spent several months this year in highly explicit exchanges with the 15-year-old girl.



The former politician and failed New York mayoral candidate asked her to undress for him during a video call and engage in rape fantasies among a plethora of explicit exchanges that began in January 2016, the Daily Mail reported on Wednesday.

Weiner is still married to Huma Abedin, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s longtime aide and campaign vice-chairman, although the two are now separated.

A spokesman for the NYPD confirmed on Thursday afternoon that Weiner, 51, who lives in the city, was under investigation.

“We are aware of the allegations against him and we are looking into it,” the spokesman said, without releasing any further details.

The girl in question had given a lengthy interview, accompanied by her father, to the Daily Mail and provided pictures and other records of messages she says she exchanged with Weiner.