NT Police have arrested Federal Member for Solomon Luke Gosling in relation to the alleged assault of NT Administrator David Connolly, just hours before he was to appear at a press conference.

The NT Independent understands police attended Mr Gosling’s home on Thursday morning where he was arrested. He is currently in custody at the Palmerston Watchhouse.

He said in a public statement that he was “cooperating fully with [police] inquiries”. Mr Gosling has previously denied assaulting the Administrator.

NT Police have been investigating Mr Gosling for the alleged incident that occurred at the Thai Grand Festival in Darwin on Saturday July 18, which both men attended in their official roles.

The NT Independent understands it is alleged Mr Gosling elbowed Mr Connolly in the torso at the event at some point.

It is possible charges could be laid later today.

Mr Gosling was scheduled to appear at a press conference this morning with the NT CLP Government to announce the construction of a new youth hub in the Darwin northern suburbs.

Mr Connolly’s official secretary Craig Kitchen issued an email last week that stated the matter had been referred to NT Police.

“An incident occurred during His Honour the Administrator’s official attendance at a community event over the weekend,” the email from Mr Kitchen said.

“The matter has been referred to the Northern Territory Police Force. As the matter is under investigation, no further comment will be made regarding the incident or the parties involved.”

NT Police later confirmed they were investigating “an incident involving the Administrator of the Northern Territory”.

“These are ridiculous allegations that I categorically deny,” Mr Gosling said in a media statement last Tuesday.

“I’ve had no dealings with the Administrator since congratulating him following the announcement of his appointment late last year.”

Sky News reported last week that two detectives attended Mr Connolly’s office, spending two hours taking his statement.

Mr Connolly’s appointment sparked widespread outrage in January after his long history of public and social media commentary was revealed, with his comments labelled racist, bigoted – as well as “reprehensible and offensive” by Mr Gosling and other Federal Labor politicians – targeting Aboriginal Territorians, women and transgendered people, while joking about domestic violence and date rape.

Mr Gosling was openly critical of Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro’s “captain’s pick” of Mr Connolly and labelled it a “disgrace” back in February.

Mr Gosling, a former military officer, is the Federal Labor Government’s special envoy for defence and veterans’ affairs and was first elected to the seat of Solomon in 2016.

Under the NT Criminal Code, anyone found guilty of assaulting the Administrator while “engaged in the discharge of his official functions” can be imprisoned for up to 14 years.

Constitutional law expert Anne Twomey said Mr Gosling would have to be convicted of a crime carrying a penalty of more than one year imprisonment to be disqualified from federal Parliament.

She told ABC Radio Darwin that because the allegation relates to an assault against the Administrator, it is more serious.

“There are special laws that deal with assaulting the Administrator and judges, and indeed there are other laws also about interfering with the Administrator in the course of fulfilling his office,” she said.

More to come.