Corruption

GCHQ spy chief quit 'after links to jailed catholic priest emerged'

A former GCHQ spy chief quit after providing a character reference for a Catholic priest who avoided jail, it has emerged.

Robert Hannigan, the former director of Britain's secret listening post, resigned after the National Crime Agency (NCA) discovered that he had assisted a family friend to avoid a custodial sentence for possessing 174 child pornography images.

Mr Hannigan, who quit as Director of the Government Communications Headquarters in January 2017, provided a character reference for Father Edmund Higgins at his 2013 trial.

Following the reference the priest's eight-month sentence was suspended. He was defrocked and changed his name to Edmund Black but later reoffended and during an NCA investigation his links to Mr Hannigan were discovered.

Prime Minister Theresa May's was allegedly made aware of Mr Hannigan's connection to the priest but allowed him to resign from his job after just two years for "personal reasons".