Ex-Welsh political lobbyist pleads guilty on indecent child images

Daran Hill, 52, was a director of Positif Politics

A former political lobbyist from Cardiff has pleaded guilty to making and distributing indecent images of children.

Daran Hill, 52, was charged with two counts of distributing indecent images of children and three counts of making them.

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

A court heard Hill had distributed 10 of the most serious category A images.

He made eight category A images, four category B, and 50 category C images.

Hill, a director of political lobbying company Positif Politics until 2021, was given bail on condition that he resides at an address in Llangyfelach, Swansea.

Appearing at Cardiff Magistrates' Court, he was ordered to have no contact with children and not to access the internet on devices that cannot be checked by the police.

An application to remand him in custody was rejected and he will appear at Cardiff Crown Court for sentencing on 6 June.

As he left court, Hill was asked if he was sorry for his offences.

"Yes," he replied.

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 Hill in August 2021. He resigned as a director the following month and his former company was renamed Camlas later that year.

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.