Ben Leapman appears at Dartford magistrates
A journalist who helped expose MPs fiddling their
expenses has appeared at Dartford magistrates court accused of
internet child abuse offences.
Ben Leapman, 43, former deputy news editor of the Sunday Telegraph,
spent four years battling to get the House of Commons to come clean
on their spending.
He was also blogging widely on the Daily Telegraph and Sunday
Telegraph websites before leaving the company in December.
Leapman, from Vauxhall, London, made a second appearance
at the court on Monday morning.
He has been remanded on bail having been charged with
possessing and publishing obscene and pornographic articles on an
internet chat log.
Kent Police said officers from the force arrested Leapman in north
Kent on November 26.
North Kent magistrates adjourned the case until April 16 when
committal proceedings to Maidstone Crown Court are set to take
place.
He has not entered a plea. The allegations relate to nine offences
over a period from July 13, 2008 to November 26, 2011 - one which
is said to have involved discussing the abuse of a child of
pre-school age.
Leapman’s bail conditions enable him to use a computer “for
legal recreation and work purposes" but he must not be with
children under 16 years old unsurpervised.
19/03/13