Conor McGrath – Hertfordshire

Labour MP’s former aide is spared jail after downloading more than 500 indecent images of children

A former political aide has been sentenced after admitting offences involving hundreds of indecent images of children.

Conor McGrath, 29, appeared at St Albans Crown Court where he received an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to three counts of making indecent images.

The court heard that between June 2024 and March 2025 he had stored more than 500 illegal images and videos across his devices, including 77 in the most serious category, along with further material in lower categories.

McGrath, who previously worked for a Labour MP and served as a borough councillor in Hertfordshire, was arrested in March last year in connection with an unrelated matter. Police seized his phone and iPad at that time, and later recovered additional devices during the investigation.

Officers subsequently discovered the illegal material on the devices that had been taken. The court was told McGrath had previously expressed concern to a colleague that police might find inappropriate content on his devices.

Following a referral to specialist officers, a detailed investigation was carried out by the Child Online Safeguarding Team.

His defence said he had shown remorse, had begun therapy to address underlying issues linked to past trauma, and accepted that his political career was over.

Prosecutors said the volume and severity of the material demonstrated a sustained and unlawful sexual interest in child abuse imagery, emphasising that such offences contribute directly to the exploitation of children.

Police described the case as part of ongoing efforts to target those involved in the possession and distribution of such material, stressing that every image represents real abuse.