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Former City Lord Mayor jailed for making indecent images of children

A former city Lord Mayor has been placed back in chains for making and distributing indecent images of children.

Neil Taggart, 65, was jailed after he admitted eight child sex offences when he appeared at Leeds Crown Court, West Yorks.

Taggart, who was a leading figure on Leeds City Council for more than three decades, was sacked “as soon as the party became aware of the allegations he was facing”.

Following the verdict hearing on June 5, Councillor Judith Blake, Leader of Leeds City Council, said: “I condemn these despicable crimes in the strongest possible terms.”

Taggart, of Garforth, West Yorks., was Lord Mayor of Leeds in 2003 and served as chair of West Yorkshire Police Authority in the early 2000s.

His offending took place between 2007 and 2016.

Taggart pleaded guilty to three offences of making indecent images of children, three of distributing indecent photographs of children, one of possessing prohibited images of children and one of possession of extreme pornographic images.

He was jailed for 32 months.

Joe Mellor

Head of Content

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