Scout leader on sex register

A scout leader who had hundreds of pornographic pictures of teenage boys on his computer has been placed on the sex offenders register.

Norman Kelway pleaded guilty at Plymouth Magistrates' Court to making, distributing and possessing indecent photos of children.

The 48-year-old customs officer, who will be sentenced at a later date, has been suspended from his post of Assistant County Commissioner with the Devon Scout Association.

Kelway had more than 400 images of boys under 16, the court was told.

E-mailed picture

Some of the pictures were the most severe level of porn, including one of a boy being restrained and spanked, prosecutor Michael French said.

Kelway admitted distributing an indecent photograph of a naked boy as young as 13 in August 2002.

The 48-year-old HM Customs Officer and former Plymouth scout group leader also pleaded guilty to making an indecent photo of a child in February 2003 and to possessing indecent photos of children in October 2003.

Kelway, from Erlstoke Close, Plymouth, also asked for four other offences of making indecent images of children to be considered.

Mr French said police in Dorset found an e-mailed picture of a naked teenage boy sent by Kelway when they seized a Bournemouth man's computer.

When officers examined Kelway's home computer they found 240 images, half of which were of boys under 16.

Officers found a further 300 deleted images of naked teenage boys on the computer.