LABOUR LORD NEIL TAGGART FROM GARFORTH, LEEDS, JAILED FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGES

In a shocking revelation that has rocked the community of Garforth and the wider Leeds area, Neil Taggart, a prominent figure with decades of public service, has been sentenced to 32 months in prison after a detailed investigation uncovered a disturbing collection of child abuse images. The former chairman of the West Yorkshire Police Authority, who also served as Lord Mayor of Leeds, now faces a lifetime requirement to register as a sex offender, marking a dramatic fall from grace.

Leeds Crown Court heard that authorities executed a search warrant at Taggart’s residence in Garforth on September 23 of the previous year. At the time, Taggart and his family were abroad on holiday, unaware that law enforcement officials were about to uncover a trove of illicit material. During the raid, officers seized a desktop computer, five hard drives, and two USB sticks. The digital devices contained an alarming total of over 35,000 indecent images, some of which depicted the most severe forms of abuse involving children as young as four months old.

Further investigation revealed that Taggart had not only stored these images but also shared some of them with other individuals involved in similar illicit activities. Online chats and phone conversations with other offenders were also uncovered, indicating a pattern of distribution and communication related to these disturbing materials. Taggart admitted to multiple charges, including three counts of making indecent images of children, three counts of distributing such images, possession of prohibited images, and possession of extreme pornography.

Prosecutor Anthony Dunne detailed the severity of the content found. Among the images, 5,488, including 856 videos, were classified as Category A, the most serious level, involving children and adults as young as four years old, with one video featuring an infant aged between eight and twelve months. Additional images fell into Category B and C, with 4,580 and 25,935 images respectively. Disturbingly, authorities also discovered 30 images depicting extreme pornography involving adults and animals, along with 431 indecent images stored on the computer, some dating back to 2010, with data suggesting the material may have been created as early as 2007.

Judge Robin Mairs delivered a stern sentence, emphasizing the prolonged nature of Taggart’s offending. The judge highlighted the horrifying reality behind the statistics, stating, “They were children, pre-pubescent children, one was a baby eight to twelve months old, who were subjected to penetrative sexual activity with adults. Girls described as aged four to six years of age.” The judge condemned the images for depicting pain, distress, restraint, and gagging, underscoring the real suffering inflicted upon the victims.

Addressing Taggart directly, Judge Mairs remarked, “You describe how your sexual fantasies or desires were just that—fantasies and not real life. Well, what makes this offending so serious is that those images were real, they featured real children who suffered real pain and will have to live with the trauma that created.” The court also noted that some images had been shared, including those of children under five, with others, some of whom were shown in similar depraved acts. The judge described the collection as a “library of abuse,” emphasizing its extreme and depraved nature, even by the standards of such material.

In closing, Judge Mairs expressed profound disappointment, stating, “I accept both your personal and public reputation, which at one time was so high in this city, now effectively lies in the gutter.” The case has left a lasting stain on Taggart’s once-respected reputation, which has been irreparably damaged by his actions.

Earlier in June 2017, Taggart, who had served as a Leeds city councillor for over three decades and also held the position of Lord Mayor, pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to the creation and distribution of child abuse images. His guilty plea was entered at Leeds Crown Court, where he admitted to three counts of making indecent images, three counts of distributing such images, possession of prohibited images, and possession of extreme pornography. The offending spanned from 2007 to 2016, with authorities arresting him over a breach of bail conditions shortly before the sentencing.

Prosecutor Anthony Dunne confirmed that Taggart was taken into custody following his arrest, and the case was adjourned for further preparation. Judge Geoffrey Marson, QC, scheduled the sentencing for July 4, with Taggart remaining in custody pending the hearing. The community and public officials alike are left to grapple with the gravity of these revelations and the fall of a once-respected public servant from Leeds.