Boris Johnson has announced an investigation into his Deputy Mayor for Young People following "media reports" over sexual misconduct.

Flanked by the London Mayor at a City Hall press conference, Ray Lewis said the allegations were "totally unfounded" and had "never harassed or defrauded anybody".

Mr Lewis denied any knowledge of being "struck off" by the Church of England and dismissed allegations of sexual misconduct as "complete rubbish" and "an attempt to smear me".

He added: "I am also not the person painted by these allegations. I am happy to face questioning on all these charges. Working in Boris Johnson's administration has been the greatest honour of my life."

Mr Johnson said: "Ray Lewis is a tremendous deputy mayor and a great asset to London. I want him to be able to get on with his job without persecution. I am not going to pre-judge the results of an investigation so he will remain in office in the meantime."

Guyanan-born Mr Lewis, who is married with three daughters, was appointed by Mr Johnson as his right-hand man on May 5.

The former prison service worker is credited with setting up his Eastside Young Leaders' Academy in Edmonton, northeast London, five years ago after getting inspiration from a television programme.

He had watched an episode of the Oprah Winfrey show which featured troubled black youths from Louisiana who had turned their lives around after attending a young leaders' academy.

Mr Lewis was so taken with the project that he visited the academy in Baton Rouge before returning to the UK and setting up his own version.

Scores of boys take part in the sessions after school and at weekends, undergoing military drills and physical activity alongside academic work.

This is the second major blow to Mr Johnson's administration since he was elected London Mayor on May 1.

Last month one of his senior advisers quit after apparently remarking that Caribbean immigrants should go home if they did not like London.

Mr Johnson insisted that James McGrath, his political adviser, was not a racist.

But the Mayor said it would only provide "ammunition" to his critics if Mr McGrath was to remain in post.

Mr Johnson accepted the resignation of Mr McGrath, a 34-year-old Australian, after an interview with the adviser appeared on the internet on June 22.

In it he was challenged with the suggestion by prominent black commentator Darcus Howe that Mr Johnson's election could cause an exodus of Caribbean immigrants to their homelands.

In response, Mr McGrath was quoted as saying: "Well, let them go if they don't like it here."

The Mayor said Mr McGrath had been quoted "out of context" by Marc Wadsworth, a so-called citizen journalist, but the remarks made it "impossible" for him to continue in his role.

mfl 031627 JUL 08

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