Former police chief heard of porn claim

A SECOND senior police officer has confirmed he was told of porn allegedly being found on Damian Green’s office computer, adding to the pressure on Theresa May’s deputy.

Sir Paul Stephenson, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner from 2009 to 2011, said he was briefed about the claims at the time, but regarded them as a “side issue”.

Former Met Assistant Commissioner Bob Quick last week claimed “extreme” porn was found on one of Mr Green’s computers when the politician was shadow immigration minister in 2008.

Mr Green, who is the subject of a Cabinet Office inquiry, dismissed Mr Quick’s allegation as “political smears”.

Former Tory activist Kate Maltby claims he previously made sexual advances to her – something Mr Green, First Secretary of State and de factor deputy PM, also strongly denies.

Sir Paul told the BBC the allegation should not have become public. He said: “I regret it’s in the public domain. There was no criminality involved, there were no victims, there was no vulnerability and it was not a matter of extraordinary public interest.”

Mr Green did not deny porn had been found but let it be known computers had been shared by several users, and he was not aware that he or anyone else had downloaded pornographic material.

He said: “I reiterate that no allegations about the presence of improper material on my parliamentary computers have ever been put to me or to the parliamentary authorities by the police.”