Aide to British Prime Minister Arrested on Child Pornography Charges

A top adviser to British Prime Minister David Cameron has been arrested on charges of child pornography, after police examined computers located at 10 Downing Street.

Via The Guardian, Patrick Rock, 62, helped craft the government’s policies pertaining to Internet pornography:

Rock, who was involved in drawing up the government’s policy
for the large internet firms on online pornography filters, resigned
after No 10 was alerted to the allegations. Rock was arrested at
his west London flat the next morning. Officers from the National Crime
Agency subsequently examined computers and offices used in Downing
Street by Rock, the deputy director of No 10’s policy unit, according to
the Daily Mail, which disclosed news of his arrest.

No 10
confirmed on Monday evening that Rock had been arrested. A spokesman:
“On the evening of 12 February, Downing Street was first made aware of a
potential offence relating to child abuse imagery. It was immediately
referred to the National Crime Agency (CEOP).

According to The Telegraph, Rock worked closely with Cameron for more than twenty years, including on issues related to child pornography:

In Downing Street, he had the title of deputy director of policy and worked
across a wide range of topics, including the government’s policy on child
pornography. His seniority was demonstrated by the fact that he was one of
only three advisers given his own private office in No 10.

A spokesperson for Cameron’s office said the prime minister was informed of the details of the arrest: “This is an ongoing investigation so it would not be
appropriate to comment further, but the Prime Minister believes that child
abuse imagery is abhorrent and that anyone involved with it should be
properly dealt with under the law.”