EX-TORY CAMPAIGNER SENTENCED OVER CHILD IMAGES
A former Conservative Party campaign manager has been handed a suspended prison sentence by Warwick Crown Court after admitting to multiple charges related to indecent images of minors.Mark Lerigo, aged 49 and residing in Coventry, received a two-year sentence that was suspended for two years.
The court heard that Lerigo had pleaded guilty to all eight charges brought against him.
The court was informed that Lerigo had downloaded disturbing images, with the National Crime Agency indicating that over 1,500 images were involved, including 205 deemed the most serious.
A Conservative Party spokesperson confirmed his dismissal from the party following his convictions.
During her sentencing, Judge Martin Butterworth stated that Lerigo’s actions involved downloading horrifying images depicting children being abused and other illegal sexual content.
He added that the consumption of such material fuels the creation of more.
Lerigo faced charges including two counts of distributing indecent images of children, three counts of creating such images, one count of possessing extreme pornography featuring animals, one count of possessing prohibited images of children, and one count of publishing an obscene article.
According to a LinkedIn profile, Lerigo had managed Conservative Party campaigns since 2012 and specialized in digital campaigning from 2013.
Addressing his former position, the judge said, "You held a senior post in a political party.
You are now disgraced, your reputation destroyed." While noting that Lerigo was not deserving of sympathy, the judge acknowledged signs of remorse.
In determining the sentence, the court opted for a community-based approach, ordering Lerigo to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and assessing him as a low risk to children.
He was also subjected to a 40-day rehabilitation program, a four-month curfew, and a 10-year sex harm prevention order.
The NSPCC highlighted that the children depicted in the images endured extreme pain and suffering, emphasising the severity of the case.
