Paul Clark: Former MP jailed over child abuse images

A former Labour MP who shared child abuse material has been jailed.

Paul Clark, who represented Gillingham in Kent for 13 years, was caught with more than 1,400 images on five electronic devices.

During his career, Clark worked as a parliamentary private secretary to deputy Prime Minister John Prescott and education secretary Ed Balls.

At Maidstone Crown Court, the 66-year-old was sentenced to two years and four months in prison.

Following his arrest in May 2021, Clark's devices were seized for analysis and officers recovered more than 1,400 indecent images of children.

He was subsequently charged with three counts of making indecent images of children and six counts of distributing indecent images of children between April 2013 and May 2021.

Clark pleaded guilty to all charges.

The former politician's defence barrister, Ronnie Manek KC, said Clark was "a man full of remorse and regret".

Danielle Pownall, National Crime Agency (NCA) operations manager, said: "Behind a significant number of images in Clark's possession was a vulnerable child being abused, just to satisfy paedophiles.

"He helped fuel the sickening trade in this material by downloading the images and sending them on to other offenders. In doing so, he also re-victimised every child."