Councillor admits 11 sex offences

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Ben Redsell was arrested after a 19-year-old woman claimed she had been assaulted

A leading Suffolk county councillor has admitted 11 sex offences.

Benjamin Redsell, 28, of Melton, resigned from the Conservative group on the county council when charges were first brought in November 2007.

At Norwich Crown Court he pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault on 24 August 2007 and 10 charges relating to photographs of children.

Redsell, who stayed on the council as an independent, was granted conditional bail and will be sentenced on 1 August.

The former county, district and Woodbridge town councillor was also a member of the Suffolk Police Authority.

He was elected to the county council in 2004 and was widely regarded as a politician on the rise.

He was first arrested last September after a 19-year-old woman claimed she had been assaulted at her home after a night out.

Resignation letter

After a police investigation he admitted to the court one sexual assault, seven charges of making an indecent photograph of a child and three counts of possession of an indecent photograph of a child.

Until his appearance in court he had pledged to fight the charges against him.

He stood down from his party membership after his arrest but stayed on as an independent councillor.

A Suffolk Police spokesman said: "These are serious offences and we are pleased he has pleaded guilty, which has spared the victim the ordeal of having to face him in court."

In a resignation letter to Suffolk Coastal District Council Redsell said: "It has been an honour to serve the people of Woodbridge as their councillor for the last year and I am very sorry to be leaving in this way."