The Beagle

Exeter city Labour councillor at centre of child pornography probe An Exeter Labour City councillor is under police investigation for child pornography offences. Roger Spackman, 47, was arrested at a home address in Newtown for making pornographic photographs of children. The Labour councillor had a 12-year career in Devon’s child protection services. In 1998 he began working at Intervention Services for Devon County Council at a secure children’s home, occasionally working at other units. Before this, he was involved in the creation of Riverside Youth Café in Dawlish. From September 2001 he worked full-time at a Secure Children’s Home until his role was axed in redundancies in February 2010. Born in 1969, Spackman moved to Jamaica in 1972 before moving to Canada in 1974. After living in several Canadian towns and cities he returned to England in 1996. Alongside being a Labour city councillor, in recent years he claims to offer ‘software support’ for a major UK retailer. Between 2007 and 2010 he was Branch Secretary for the Devon County Council branch of UNISON – one of the largest in the UK. He also chaired Exeter Labour Group between 2010 and 2014. Cllr Spackman declined to comment when the allegations were put to him by a reporter.

So Nigel Farage has replaced Boris Johnson as the MP trousering the most money from other jobs. Farage has pocketed over £570,000 in outside income in just six months. I brought a Bill to ban all MPs' Second Jobs. I'll keep pushing to end to this racket once and for all.