Musician admits child porn charge

A former member of pop group Paper Lace will be added to the sex offenders' register after admitting a child pornography charge.

John Chambers, 54, who had a video tape containing indecent images at his home in Nottingham, was sentenced to 200 hours community punishment.

Nottingham Crown Court heard Chambers was given the tape but tried to return it when he realised its contents.

Chambers, who joined the band in 1983, admitted possessing indecent images.

The video, which contained the lowest category of pornographic images of children, was discovered by police searching his Aspley home on 20 August.

'Disgusting images'

Judge Dudley Bennett sentenced him to 200 hours of community work, and put him on the Sex Offenders' Register for five years.

The judge said: "Neither the public nor the courts take kindly to people who abuse children and photographing young children in this way is an abuse of children just as much as if there was physical touching because it can lead to their corruption.

"It would not happen unless people wanted to watch disgusting images of this type.

"There is a huge amount of mitigation in your case. You have never been in any trouble in your life. You are in poor health."

James Hett, defending Chambers, said his home had been subjected to vigilante attacks and he was also told to give up his career touring as a bass guitarist in a band.

Paper Lace's Billy Don't Be a Hero reached number one in 1974. Chambers joined as a bass guitarist in 1983.

He later toured with Billy Fury's original band The Tornados.