Mark Burton: Sexually Abusing Children

Mark Burton (Labour)

North East councillor Mark Burton, who was chairman of a committee responsible for children's welfare, has been jailed for 22 months for sexually assaulting a girl and hiding pictures of child abuse on his computer.

Mark Burton, 43, preyed on his victim after a party to celebrate his re-election to Darlington Counc
il last May, and police found horrific images on his laptop.

He has spent 171 days in custody prior to sentence at Teesside Crown Court, yet has managed to claim almost £6,700 in allowances from the council. Burton has faced calls from the council leader for the cash to be repaid.

The married father of three was chairman of the council's children and young persons' scrutiny committee - a role the court heard he took to promote his political career.

Joanne Kidd, prosecuting, said Burton took advantage of the schoolgirl following a drunken party to celebrate his re-election to the Harrowgate Hill ward.

The girl later complained to police and officers found 16 images of child abuse in a computer folder named ZNROP -"pornz" backwards - and discovered he had searched the internet thousands of times for phrases linked to paedophilia. Specialist officers also found a file-wiping piece of software which digitally shredded documents he had held on his computer.

Source

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