A former Tory councillor and primary school teacher has been charged with making and distributing indecent images of children.

Matthew Sephton, 41, who represented Altrincham for the Conservatives on Trafford Council and has now been suspended by the party, is also facing a charge of possessing ‘extreme pornography’.

Councillor Sephton, of Maximus Drive in Altrincham, was suspended from the party and from Trafford Council’s Conservative group after he was arrested by officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA) in December last year.

He was also suspended from his teaching position at Westmorland Primary School in Brinnington, Stockport, pending the outcome of the police investigation.

Stockport Council has confirmed the suspension remains in force.

The NCA has now confirmed that he was charged on Wednesday with six criminal offences, including making and distributing indecent images of children.

(Image: Google Maps)

He is charged with four offences concerning indecent images of children, one count of possession of prohibited images and one count of possession of extreme pornography, a spokesman said.

Councillor Sephton, was elected to Trafford Council in 2014, is due to make an initial court appearance on bail at Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court on July 12.

No further details have been released by the NCA.

In a statement, the NCA said: “Matthew Sephton, 41, from Altrincham, was charged on Wednesday with making and distributing indecent images of children. He was arrested by officers from the National Crime Agency on December 1, 2016, and was bailed pending further enquiries.

“His first hearing will be on July 12 at Manchester Magistrates' Court.”

The M.E.N. contacted Trafford Council for comment but were directed to the National Crime Agency.

Councillor Sephton remains a town hall councillor but is still suspended from the Conservative Party.

His profile on the council’s website was altered after his arrest and his political party is now listed as ‘none’. Contact details for him were also changed to that of Trafford Town Hall.

(Image: Trafford Council)

Councillor Sephton stood for the Conservatives in the 2012 Manchester Central by-election, which was won by current Labour MP Lucy Powell. The by-election was sparked after Tony Lloyd vacated the seat to run for the role of Police and Crime Commissioner for Greater Manchester.

He also served until 2014 as chairman of the Conservative Party’s LGBT campaign group, LGBTory, and held a senior position with the Altrincham and Sale West Conservative Association.

A Stockport Council spokesperson said: “Stockport Council can confirm that Matthew Sephton remains suspended from the school.

"We can’t comment any further until the outcome of the investigation led by the National Crime Agency.”

The M.E.N. has also contacted the Conservative Party for comment.