Luke Bozier, the former business partner of ex-Tory MP Louise Mensch, has been arrested and bailed on suspicion of viewing or possessing indecent images of children.

Bozier, 27, was arrested at 1pm on Friday at a central London police station and released on bail until a date in early February.

He was questioned by Metropolitan police detectives on suspicion of viewing or possessing indecent images of children and released on bail later on Friday.

Reports published last week alleged that Bozier used an online alias to access a number of websites offering explicit photographs.

Bozier helped launch Mensch's social network, Menshn, in June but last week resigned from their company, MenschBozier Ltd.

Mensch said she had reported the allegations to the Met police.

"He resigned from the company and will not have a share in it," she told the Guardian. "It is with police now."

A former e-campaigns manager for Tony Blair, Bozier is a self-described "entrepreneur, politico and social commentator". He is the co-founder of two technology start-up companies, Menshn, and the online PR platform, Municipo.

Bozier said in a statement that he learned on 6 December that his private email account had been "maliciously accessed" and that those responsible had taken over his web domain names.

He added: "Deeply private and personal information was posted on the web, and allegations of illegal activity were made. I cut short a trip to the United States on the 6th [December] to request that the Metropolitan police carry out investigations into the alleged illegal acts. As a result I was questioned by police on Friday 7 December.

"We live in a society of laws and of a justice system that seeks the truth while protecting all of our rights. While some have sought to place me on – as Lord Justice Leveson puts it – 'trial by Twitter' – I am engaging in the appropriate legal processes to clear my name. I am deeply aggrieved that it is possible that people can get away with computer hacking behaviour which, without any check, balance, or justification in law, can destroy lives.

"It is now up to the police to decide whether or not I have committed an illegal act. I am co-operating fully and assisting in their enquiries."

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