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Issues - Child Abuse - judge admits child porn charges
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/11369634?source=PA
Former circuit judge David Selwood today admitted making and
possessing dozens of pornographic images of children.
David Selwood, who stepped down as resident judge of Portsmouth
Crown Court earlier this month, pleaded guilty to 12 counts
of making indecent photos of a child in March and April this
year.
At a hearing in London's Bow Street Magistrates Court, the
69-year-old also admitted one count of possessing indecent
photographs of children in April.
The court heard that the case had a "devastating and
humiliating" effect on the judge and his family.
Sentencing, which will take place in the same court, was adjourned
for reports until July 13.
The court heard that Selwood had issued a prepared statement
to police, in which he maintained he had never had any sexual
interest in young children.
"He gave as the reason for visiting such sites curiosity
to see how easy or difficult it was for someone with limited
computer skills such as himself to find such images on the
internet," prosecutor Amanda Sawetz said.
But, in the statement, Selwood admitted it would be difficult
to describe his actions as "research".
He was quoted as saying: "I can see objectively now how
foolish this may appear but there must be things going on
in the subconscious mind which I need to look at."
All the photographs were described as "level one"
- which was understood to mean the least serious category
of indecent images of children, containing nudity and semi-naked
pictures rather than sexual activity.
Earlier this year, Selwood cleared a world authority on child
abuse who pleaded guilty to downloading child pornography
of having any illegal intent behind his actions.
The judge described Professor Christopher Bagley, who has
written several respected pieces of research into child abuse,
as "naive" for accessing the indecent images without
seeking legal advice or consulting colleagues.
He ruled that Bagley had viewed the images for research purposes
and not for his own sexual needs.
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