'Hounding' Damian Green over pornography allegations 'completely wrong', MP Andrew Mitchell says

It comes after an ex-Scotland Yard detective said 'thousands' of pornographic images were found on the First Secretary of State's computer
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A colleague of First Secretary of State Damian Green has leapt to his defence amid allegations that “thousands” of legal pornographic images were found on a computer in his Parliamentary office.

Conservative MP Andrew Mitchell said the “hounding” of his Tory colleague is “completely wrong” as he has “emphatically” denied the allegations before him.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4 shortly after retired Scotland Yard detective said “thousands” of explicit images were found on a computer used by Mr Green, Mr Mitchell jumped to the defence of the cabinet minister.

He told the programme: “I think that Mr Green is entitled to be believed, after all, you are not guilty until proven so in this country.”

Mr Mitchell, MP for Sutton Coldfield, added: “I think the hounding of Mr Green over information which everyone is clear is entirely legal, in which he has emphatically denied either downloading or viewing, is completely wrong.”

But retired detective Neil Lewis told the BBC he was "shocked" at the volume of material and had "no doubt whatsoever" that it was accessed by the Tory MP.

He stressed that none of the images were "extreme", but said analysis of the computer suggested they had been viewed "extensively" over a three-month period, sometimes for hours at a time.

Mr Green, who is the subject of a Cabinet Office inquiry into alleged inappropriate behaviour towards a young female activist, has denied looking at or downloading porn on the work computer.

The report into Mr Green could be released as early as today, according to reports.

A spokesman for the First Secretary of State said: "It would be inappropriate for Mr Green to comment on these allegations while the Cabinet Office investigation is ongoing; however, from the outset he has been very clear that he never watched or downloaded pornography on the computers seized from his office.

"He maintains his innocence of these charges and awaits the outcome of the investigation."

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