In the Media

MP's agent jailed for child porn

PUBLISHED November 21, 2011
SHARE

Stephen Carnell, who worked for Labour's Chris Bryant on 2010 campaign, was caught with more than 12,000 indecent images A political agent and former Labour councillor has been jailed for three years for collecting and distributing "appalling" images of child abuse. Stephen Carnell, who was the Labour MP Chris Bryant's agent during last year's general election campaign, was caught with more than 12,000 indecent images and 450 films. When police knocked on his door, Carnell, 58, let them in and said: "The child pornography is on my laptops. I've been stupid." David Pugh, prosecuting, said Carnell's collection was stored on five laptops and various storage devices at his home in Tonypandy, south Wales. He added: "He was also distributing the images through internet file-sharing to swap with other paedophiles." Pugh said a large number of the images were categorised as level four and five ? the most serious types of child pornography. The prosecutor said: "Carnell accepted he began viewing child pornography for his sexual gratification eight years ago. "He said he was sexually interested in both male and female images. Carnell denied being sexually attracted to children in real life." Merthyr Tydfil crown court heard that Carnell was chairman of the board of governors in a primary school in the Rhondda valley and had also been on the board of another school. He admitted 35 counts of making indecent images, seven counts of possessing such images and four counts of distributing indecent photographs of children between May 2003 and March 2011. The children ranged from 12-month-old infants to boys and girls up to 11. A divorced father of two, Carnell was employed as Bryant's election agent during his campaign to be re-elected as MP for Rhondda in 2010. Stephen Jury, defending, said Carnell had been of "good character and [a] hard-working man" for 39 years. He said: "He appreciates the need to join a sex offenders treatment programme." Judge John Curran said: "This is not a victimless crime: small children are subjected to the most appalling abuse for these photos and videos to be made. "Anyone who is twisted enough to take part in this activity is going to be severely dealt with, especially as there is an element of distribution. "This has been one of the largest number of images and movies I've ever had to deal with." Carnell was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and banned from ever working with children. Crime Chris Bryant Steven Morris guardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

CATEGORIES