Ex-aide to Labour MP spared jail after downloading indecent photos | Politics | News | EUROtoday

A former aide to a Labour MP has been spared jail after downloading greater than 500 indecent photos of youngsters. Conor McGrath, 29, was a borough councillor in StevenageHertfordshire, between 2023 and 2025 and likewise labored for MP Kevin Bonavia. He has condemned the McGrath’s “sickening criminality”.

The defendant was sentenced at St Albans Crown Court on Friday (April 17) to eight months in jail, suspended for 2 years, after pleading responsible to a few counts of constructing indecent photos of youngsters at a special courtroom final month. He admitted having 77 class A photos, 109 class B photos and 329 class C photos and movies between June 2024 and March 2025.

Judge Jonathan Mann KC advised him: “If you find your way back to me for offences of this type… I will revoke that order and off to prison you will go.”

McGrath, wearing a darkish go well with with a pink tie, wiped the nook of his eye as he stood within the dock on the finish of his sentencing.

The courtroom heard he has misplaced his political profession and feels ashamed he has let down the individuals who elected him as councillor.

Police arrested McGrath at his dwelling on March 25 final 12 months on an unrelated matter and seized a number of units, together with his iPhone and iPad.

While he was launched beneath investigation, he met a colleague at a pub and advised them that he was apprehensive police would discover “rude photographs” on his units and suppose he was a paedophile, the courtroom heard.

He additionally advised his then-colleague that he had deleted or tried to delete photos on his units.

A referral was made after that assembly to Scotland Yard’s Parliamentary Diplomatic Protection Command and officers carried out a second search and seizure at McGrath’s dwelling.

Police ultimately discovered indecent photos on the iPhone and iPad they seized within the unique search.

David Claxton, defending, mentioned his shopper felt “genuine remorse” and had taken it upon himself to begin remedy to know what motivated him, after childhood trauma.

He mentioned: “One of the aspects of his shame is that he feels he has let down the people who elected him. That is something he will have to live with.”

Mr Claxton mentioned McGrath has confronted “public shame”, including: “He has lost the career that he had. He has no realistic prospect of resuming work in politics or adjacent to politics.”

In his sentencing remarks, the decide referred to the conclusion of the pre-sentence report which discovered McGrath had partial perception into his offending which was persevering with to develop.

After sentencing, Mr Bonavia mentioned: “I am pleased that Conor McGrath has been sentenced for his truly appalling crimes today. There aren’t words to express the horror I felt upon being made aware of this sickening criminality.

“As quickly as I used to be made conscious of the allegations dealing with Mr McGrath, I instantly took motion to make sure the knowledge was delivered to the eye of the authorities and his employment was terminated instantly upon his arrest. I’ve not had any contact with him since.

“My thoughts today are with the victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. We must continue to do all we can to rid this vile scourge from our society and anyone found guilty of committing such abhorrent crimes must face the full force of the law.”

He thanked police and the justice system for pursuing the case.

A Labour Party spokesperson mentioned: “It is right that Conor McGrath has been sentenced for these heinous crimes.

“The Labour Party took swift motion to droop Mr McGrath as quickly as these allegations got here to our consideration. He is now not a member of the Labour Party.”

Claire Beards from the Crown Prosecution Service said: “The quantity and nature of the indecent photos that McGrath collected and saved confirmed his sustained and illegal sexual curiosity in kids.

“Some of the images were among the most serious and disturbing for which a person can be prosecuted. Anyone who downloads, stores or shares indecent images of children contributes directly to their abuse and exploitation.

“We are dedicated to working with the police to safeguard kids from sexual hurt and to prosecute those that commit these appalling offences.”

As nicely as his suspended jail sentence, McGrath was ordered to finish 25 days of rehabilitation exercise requirement and 150 hours of unpaid work. He will probably be topic to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years.