Colin Smyth stood down as chair of Holyrood’s influential Economy and Fair Work Committee on Monday evening.
It comes after a motion to oust the former Labour MSP was lodged by the SNP‘s Michelle Thomson.
She told The Herald on Sunday it was “inconceivable” Mr Smyth could remain in post while facing such serious allegations, and warned that it risked bringing the committee and Parliament “into disrepute”.
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The South of Scotland MSP is due to appear at Dumfries Sheriff Court at a later date. He has strenuously denied the charges.
Mr Smyth was arrested following a raid on his Dumfries home on August 5.
Since then, it has also been confirmed that Holyrood’s crèche and education centre were searched by police alongside all toilets and changing rooms. No covert devices were found.
In a statement on Friday, Mr Smyth said the allegations were “an utter shock” and that the publication of his home address by police had forced him to move out. He stressed that he was cooperating fully with the investigation but could not respond to specific claims.
He said: “The speculation, and the recent decision by the police to publicly release details of their ongoing inquiries along with my home address has been devastating and has taken a serious toll on my health.
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“After my address was published with no warning to my family, I felt I had no choice but to move away to protect them.
“That has also meant losing the local NHS critical support I had been receiving for the past few weeks, making an already difficult time even more distressing.
“I would therefore ask that the privacy of myself, but above all my family and friends, is respected while this matter is resolved. Having this hanging over them is especially overwhelming.”