Downing Street accused of cover-up over senior aide Patrick Rock's arrest on child abuse images allegations

Downing Street accused of cover-up over senior aide Patrick Rock's arrest on child abuse images allegations

Adam Withnall
Wednesday 05 March 2014

David Cameron has been accused of a cover-up after one of his most senior aides was arrested on suspicion of possessing child abuse images.

Patrick Rock, who had been working on a Downing Street policy committee for internet pornography filters, was reportedly told he was under investigation for possessing the images a number of hours before his arrest on 13 February.

He then quietly resigned, and the matter only came to light when officials at Number 10 were questioned about it directly on Monday.

According to a Labour MP the delay has the appearance of a “cover-up” - and the fact that Mr Rock was given advance warning of the allegations was a Government “interfer[ence] with the justice system”.

A spokesperson for the Prime Minister has confirmed Downing Street was first made aware of the alleged offence regarding child abuse imagery on the evening of 12 February.

But speaking in the West Midlands yesterday, Mr Cameron defended the position his office had taken.

“I don't think it would be right to pre-emptively brief out a criminal investigation and that's why we did not do that,” he said....
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/downing-street-accused-of-coverup-over-senior-aide-patrick-rocks-arrest-on-child-abuse-images-allegations-9169818.html