MP's aide admits possessing indecent child images

A former aide to a Labour MP has pleaded guilty to possessing more than 500 indecent images of children.

Conor McGrath, 29, worked for Stevenage Labour MP Kevin Bonavia and served as a borough councillor in the town between 2023 and 2025.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children at Stevenage Magistrates' Court earlier.

McGrath, from Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, was given bail with conditions that included he did not have unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 18.

McGrath admitted to making 77 category A images, 109 category B images and 329 category C images and videos between June 2024 and March 2025.

He will be sentenced at St Albans Crown Court on 17 April.

The 29-year-old spoke to confirm his personal details and to plead guilty to the charges.

He wore a dark suit, white shirt and red tie in the dock, and wiped his brow as he entered his pleas.

The court heard police had arrested McGrath at his home during an investigation of an unrelated matter and seized several devices including his iPhone and iPad.

Prosecutor Menekse Sahan said his pins and passwords were requested by officers but McGrath failed to provide them initially.

While he was released under investigation, Hertfordshire Police received a referral from the Metropolitan Police over a report that McGrath had made a reference to a colleague that the police may find indecent images on his devices.

His electronics were seized once again and police found indecent images on them, the court heard.

It is understood Bonavia took action to ensure police were informed as soon as he became aware of the allegations against McGrath and the Labour MP and McGrath have not had any contact since.

Angela Horne, for McGrath, told the court: "Obviously there is mitigation to be put and that would include that the defendant has suffered trauma in his childhood and has a fragile mental health as a result of that and these charges and the proceedings that have changed his life."

A Labour Party spokesperson said previously: "The Labour Party took swift action to suspend Conor McGrath as soon as these allegations came to our attention.

"We cannot comment further while legal proceedings are ongoing."

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