Police and children's charities have pledged that "no-one isabove the law", after the sentencing yesterday of a former CrownCourt judge who admitted a string of child pornography offences.
Disgraced David Selwood had previously pleaded guilty to 12counts of making and one count of possessing indecent photographs ofchildren in March and April this year.
Yesterday, the bespectacled 70-year-old, wearing a pin-stripedsuit, appeared at Bow Street Magistrates Court in London, and wastold by Senior District Judge Timothy Workman he would be given a 12-month community rehabilitation order.
He was put on the sex offenders' register for five years after headmitted the charges last month, and orders were made yesterday forforfeiture of the computers and photographs and for him to pay(pounds) 55 costs.
He was told that a condition to attend a sex offenders' programmewould not be added as it was believed the necessary advice andguidance could best be provided through regular contact with aprobation officer.
The judge was arrested in April after intelligence from the USconcerning access to a child abuse website.
He was charged after police found 75 images of naked and semi-naked boys aged between eight and 14 on his laptop computer, WestMidlands Police were asked to investigate the allegations becausesome Hampshire officers had worked with him before.
Detective Superintendent Jon Hesketh, who led the investigation,said Selwood had disgraced his position, and added: "No-one is abovethe law, regardless of their role or position in life.
"I hope this case sends a clear message to the general publicthat the police will pursue and bring before the courts anyone whodownloads images of child abuse, whatever their explanation."
A spokeswoman for the NSPCC said: "Behind these indecent imagesare real children who will have suffered immense trauma.
"Receiving or downloading abusive images of children perpetuatesits production and reinforces the cycle of exploitation.
"It is important to send out a strong warning to everyone,including those in all walks of life and professions that theycannot remain anonymous and escape the law by using the internet toaccess abusive images of children."
And Natasha Finlayson, director of policy and communications atChildLine, welcomed the way the legal system had dealt with thecase, despite the images being classified as the least serious"level one".
She said: "This clearly sends out the message that to possessthese images is a serious crime.
"The message is also clear in this case that senior andinfluential figures in the judiciary are not above the law."
Selwood, who left court with his wife Barbara without making anycomment to the waiting media, was made a circuit judge after asuccessful Army career in which he had reached the rank of majorgeneral.
He held military posts in the legal services in Germany andCyprus before being appointed director of Army legal services in theMinistry of Defence in London in 1990.
He was a recorder until being appointed a circuit judge in 1992,and was made resident judge at Portsmouth Crown Court in 1996.
He stepped down last month.
Previously Selwood insisted that he had accessed the websites outof "curiosity" and yesterday's hearing was told "he does not haveand never has had any sexual interest in children of either sex".
Richard Hallam, defending the shamed grandfather-of-six, told thecourt: "The ramifications of the fact that he was charged, the facthe has pleaded, that he was in court, will go on reverberatingprobably through the rest of his life.
"He has lost considerably financially, he has lost in everypossible way."
Earlier this year, Selwood, from Winchester, Hampshire, cleared aworld expert on child abuse, who pleaded guilty to downloading childpornography, of having any illegal intent behind his actions.
He called Professor Christopher Bagley, of Lesley Gardens,Sutton, Surrey, "naive" for accessing indecent images withoutseeking legal advice or consulting colleagues.
The Crown Prosecution Service has said there were no plans toreview Selwood's decisions on similar cases in light of his case.
Mr Workman said yesterday: "The defendant is a man who until nowhas had an exemplary record and who has throughout his career inboth the Army and in the law provided long and distinguished publicservice.
"He is entitled to credit for pleading guilty at the earliestopportunity and for his co-operation throughout the policeinvestigation.
"The commission of these offences and the convictions nowrecorded are undoubtedly a personal tragedy to him and his family.
"Nevertheless, the courts look gravely on this type of offencebecause it involves the exploitation and abuse of children, and thecourt's first concern must be to them."
He said by the standards of many of these cases, the 75 imagesthe former judge had held was not a "substantial" number.
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