A former aide to the Labour MP for Stevenage has pleaded guilty to possessing more than 500 indecent images of children.
Conor McGrath, 29, worked for MP Kevin Bonavia and served as a borough councillor in Stevenage between 2023 and 2025.
He pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children at Stevenage Magistrates’ Court.
The charge states McGrath made 77 category A images, 109 category B images and 329 category C images and videos between June 2024 and March 2025.
The 29-year-old spoke to confirm his personal details and to plead guilty to the charges on Wednesday.
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 arrested McGrath at his home address on 25 March 2024 on an unrelated matter and seized several devices including his iPhone and iPad.
Prosecutor Menekse Sahan said that his pins and passwords were requested but he failed to provide them initially.
While he was released under investigation, Hertfordshire Police received a referral from the Metropolitan Police over a report that he 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 Mr Bonavia took action to ensure police were informed as soon as he became aware of the allegations against McGrath.
Mr Bonavia and McGrath have not had any contact since, it is also understood.
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.”
District Judge Alan Thorn told the defendant the matters fell outside his sentencing powers in the magistrates court and the matter would be sent to Crown court.
McGrath was freed on bail with conditions including to live at his home address in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, and not to have any unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 18.
A pre-sentence report was ordered and he will be sentenced at St Alban’s Crown Court on 17 April.
