Ex-Cardiff Bay lobbyist charged over indecent images of children

Daran Hill, 52, was a director of Positif Politics

A former political lobbyist has been charged with distributing and making indecent images of children.

Daran Hill, 52, from Cardiff, was a director of political lobbying company Positif Politics until 2021.

Mr Hill was charged with two counts of distributing indecent images of children and three counts of making them.

He is due appear for his next hearing later this month at Cardiff Magistrates' Court.

The charges follow a National Crime Agency investigation, a spokesman for the law enforcement agency said.

Mr Hill is no longer involved with his former company, which has changed its name.

Well-known in Welsh politics, Mr Hill was significantly involved in two devolution referendum campaigns.

He was national organiser of the Yes for Wales campaign for the first devolution referendum in 1997, and was campaign director of the Yes campaign in the 2011 vote on giving the assembly law making powers.

The former Labour party member later joined the Conservatives, and in 2020 said he offered his "services and loyalty" to the party.

Mr Hill was previously managing director at Positif, which provided advice to companies seeking to lobby Welsh politicians.

He stood down as managing director and chairman in 2020 but remained as a company director.

National Crime Agency officers arrested Mr Hill in August 2021.

He resigned as a director in September 2021 and his former company was renamed Camlas later that year.

A spokesman for the National Crime Agency said: "Daran Hill, 52, from Cardiff has been charged with offences relating to indecent images of children (IIOC) as part of a National Crime Agency investigation.

"Hill was charged on 24 April 2023 with five counts, including two counts of distributing IIOC and three counts of making IIOC."