Videos posted on social media captured the moment Caplin was arrested. A Facebook livestream also recorded the arrest and was watched by over 36,000 viewers as police officers detained the 66-year-old. During the arrest, an officer stated that Caplin was being detained to “protect a vulnerable person—namely a child.” He was handcuffed, searched, and had his phone seized as evidence, according to a report by the Daily Mail.
In a statement, Sussex Police said, “We are aware of footage circulating on social media showing a man in Brighton being detained on suspicion of engaging in online sexual communications with a child.”
“Officers can confirm that a local 66-year-old man was arrested on Saturday January 11 and currently remains in custody. “This is an ongoing and active investigation,” law enforcement added.
Caplin served as the Member of Parliament for Hove from 1997 to 2005. During his time in office, he held positions including Assistant Government Whip and Junior Defence Minister, as well as Minister for Veterans at the Ministry of Defence.
The arrest comes in the wake of the UK being at the center of attention for alleged sexual exploitation of children. UK lawmakers have recently demanded an investigation into the "grooming gangs" scandal which involves groups of predominantly Pakistani Muslim men allegedly sexually abusing female children.
