Ex-royal butler admits sex abuse

Paul Kidd worked as a butler to the Queen from 1977-79

A former royal butler to the Queen and Queen Mother has admitted a string of child abuse offences.

Paul Kidd, 55, of Stalybridge, Greater Manchester, pleaded guilty to charges including indecent assault and sexual activity with a child.

He also admitted possessing more than 18,000 indecent images of children, as well as making indecent images.

The charges relate to historic sexual abuse on three children who were under 16 when the offences took place.

Another man, David Hobday, 56, of St Johns Street, Dukinfield, Greater Manchester, pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child and possessing an indecent video of a child, when he appeared at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court.

Kidd, of Castlehall View, worked as a butler from 1977 to 1979 and was senior footman to the Queen Mother from 1979 to 1984.

Given you have both pleaded guilty to some serious offences, you should be under no illusion that the sentence is going to be custody Judge Mushtaq Khokhar

He changed his pleas on Wednesday ahead of a scheduled four-week trial.

The former butler pleaded guilty to nine counts of indecent assault, six counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Kidd also admitted 11 counts of making indecent images of a child and two counts of possessing indecent images of children.

The offences were committed between 1974 and 1977, 1981 and 1983 - when he was in the employ of the Queen Mother - and 2005 to 2008.

He pleaded not guilty to two counts of making indecent images which were accepted by the Crown and ordered to lie on file. Charges of rape were dropped.

Both men were remanded in custody and will be sentenced on 20 November.

Judge Mushtaq Khokhar told them: "Given you have both pleaded guilty to some serious offences, you should be under no illusion that the sentence is going to be custody."