A SCOUT leader who stashed dozens of indecent images of children under his bed has been spared a prison sentence.

Alex Searle, 27, was dismissed from the 7th Petts Wood Scout Group when 44 computer print-outs of children in various states of undress were discovered at his home.

One of the pictures was the most severe level for indecent images.

When police searched his parents' home earlier this year, another 66 indecent thumbnail images and 914 pictures of children in sports wear and swimming costumes were found on a tower computer he had used.

A laptop at the same address also had 135 images of children in sports wear and school uniform.

Searle was arrested in April when police searched his home for stolen goods from his former employer, Gamestation in Orpington.

Croydon Crown Court heard that Searle was confronted by his parents about the pictures two months before he was caught by police but he told them he had destroyed them.

During an interview with police he admitted touching himself while looking at the pictures and said he had been "confused" about his sexuality.

He said he had searched the Internet with entries including 'pre-teen boy models’, 'underage boys’, 'Lolita’ and 'schoolgirl’ and also read a story on the Internet about a convicted paedophile.

He received an 18-month community sentence for theft in September and pleaded guilty to 12 counts of making indecent images of children last month.

Sentencing him to a three-year community order, Judge John Tanzer said: "You had been indulging an inappropriate sexual predilection, not only inappropriate in general but specifically in your case with your role in the community because it involved young children.

"That activity shows a perverted character, which has a price. A price paid by children world-wide.

"People who promote that market by being willing consumers should pay a price."

Pieter Briegel, defending Searle, told the court: "He has already paid a heavy price. He’s not worked since April when he was arrested. His reputation is in tatters."

Judge Tanzer banned Searle from working with children and teenagers and ordered him to attend a sex offender group work programme, but did not impose a prison sentence as it would serve "no purpose as far as the long-term interest of the community is concerned."

Head of Bromley CID Detective Chief Inspector Chris Smart said Searle had "betrayed the trust placed in him by parents, by other volunteers and by the Scout movement".