Mermaids trustee quits over paedophile-group links

The London School of Economics, where Dr Jacob Breslow is an associate professor of gender and sexuality, says it is looking into the reports

A trustee of the charity Mermaids has resigned after reports he spoke at a conference organised by a group that promotes support for paedophiles.

Dr Jacob Breslow quit the transgender children's charity after the Times revealed he had attended the B4U-ACT conference in 2011, as a PhD student.

B4U-ACT calls for paedophiles to have the right to live "in truth and dignity".

Mermaids says the organisation is "completely at odds" with its values.

B4U-ACT's website says it holds workshops and gives presentations about the needs and rights of people "with an attraction to children and adolescents", and runs support groups for both them and their friends and family members.

A published summary of a presentation Dr Breslow is understood to have given uses the phrase "minor-attracted persons" instead of paedophile.

Dr Breslow is an associate professor of gender and sexuality at the London School of Economics (LSE).

LSE said: "We have been made aware of a presentation given at an external event in 2011 by a then graduate student, now faculty member of LSE. We are looking into these reports."

'Decisive action'

The transgender children's charity said: "Mermaids has been made aware of Dr Breslow's historical participation in a conference that is completely at odds with our values.

"Once notified we took swift and decisive action to investigate. Dr Breslow tendered his notice on the same day.

"We will be reviewing our processes and procedures in light of this event to make them even more robust.

"Safeguarding is of the utmost importance to Mermaids and the safety of the young people we support is our highest priority."

BBC News has approached Dr Breslow for comment but he was unavailable at the time of publishing.