Police official has weapon conviction

London: The chairman of the Metropolitan Police Authority has a criminal conviction for carrying an offensive weapon.

Len Duvall, who was appointed by Ken Livingstone, pleaded guilty to carrying a stave which was found after he was stopped and searched by police. He was fined by Woolwich magistrates.

Duvall, who is also a Labour candidate for the London Assembly, said: "It was many years ago and it's something I terribly regret and have had time to reflect on. There was a lot of trouble going on [in Woolwich] at the time and I thought I needed to defend myself."