Ex adviser to Prime Minister admits downloading pictures of bikini-clad girls as young as 10 but denies the images are indecent
Girls were in 'sexualised poses' in photos with labels such as 'cutie' and 'princess', court hears
A FORMER aide to Prime Minister David Cameron has admitted downloading photos of bikini-clad girls as young as 10 but denies the images are indecent, a court heard.
Patrick Rock, 64, was a key member of Cameron's inner circle and was involved in drawing up government policy on internet porn.
Rock, who has since resigned from his post as a Whitehall advisor, downloaded 20 photos of girls aged between 10 and 16.
The youngsters were in "sexualised poses" and scantily-clad in outfits including a ballet tutu, a bikini, and a bra and knickers, Southwark Crown Court heard today.
The images had labels including "cutie" and "princess", the jury were told.
Thomas Forster, prosecuting, claimed the photos were intended to draw attention to the girls' "genital areas" or other body parts which could be sexualised.
Jurors were handed a copy of each of the 20 images - which were also shown on large TV screens in court - so they can judge whether or not they are "indecent".
Mr Forster said: "It is your task to assess them individually and separately and conclude whether they are individually indecent.
"Mr Rock admits he made the photographic images, he admits he did so by downloading them and he admits that each and every one depicts a child."
The images were downloaded onto Rock's iPad between August 11 and 14, 2013, and show nine girls.
He was arrested in February 2014 and investigators seized his laptop.
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Rock is not expected to give evidence in the case as the facts are agreed aside from the indecency issue.
Sasha Wass, QC, defending, asked the jury to bear in mind US popstar Britney Spears' video for "...Baby One More Time" in which she acted "sexually" while wearing a school uniform.
She added: "I'm sure many of you remember the music video in which a 16-year-old Britney Spears gyrating in her school uniform and singing the popular song 'hit me baby one more time'.
"She was under the age of 18, she was wearing provocative clothing and her words and movements could not have been more suggestive."
Addressing the question as to why Rock would have looked at the photos, she added: "Young girls are attractive, some of those young girls are cute and adorable.
"We live in a society where youth is alluring. Some men would rather look at a young fresh-faced teenager rather than a woman of his own age.
"History is full of older men enchanted by younger girls."
Summing up the case she said: "Should he be criminalised because he clicked on 20 images of nine different girls over three days?
"This is not a case of child porn involving sexual activity. It does not even involve nudity."
Judge Alistair McCreath told the jury they were merely concerned with whether or not these images would be seen as indecent by "right-thinking people".
Rock, of Coniger Road, Fulham, denies 20 counts of making indecent images of children.
The trial continues.