BBC NEWS, London
A former circuit judge who pleaded guilty to child pornography charges has been spared a jail sentence.
David Selwood, from Winchester in Hampshire, pleaded guilty to 12 counts of making and possessing indecent images of children.
The 70-year-old was charged after police found 75 images of naked and semi-naked boys aged between eight and 14 on his laptop computer.
He was given a 12 month rehabilitation order at Bow Street Magistrates Court.
'No sexual interest'
Selwood claimed he was curious to see how difficult it was for someone with few computer skills, like himself, to find such images.
In a statement to police he said he never had any sexual interest in young children but admitted it would be difficult to describe his actions as "research".
Earlier this year, while still a judge, Selwood accepted a claim by a defendant who was a world authority on child abuse that he had downloaded child pornography for research purposes.
Selwood described Professor Christopher Bagley as "naive" for accessing the indecent images without seeking legal advice or consulting colleagues.
Bagley was given a three year conditional discharge.
In another case in 2001, Selwood released a paedophile back into the community under supervision after the man broke an order banning him from contacting young people.
The Crown Prosecution Service said there were currently no plans to review child pornography cases on which Selwood had presided as a judge.
This sort of sentence makes me want to throw up
Archnut
"And all that was left was hope"
My Story (Triggers)
http://www.waltonhop.blogspot.com
Previous Topic
Index