A former Crown Court judge who has sentenced paedophiles and sex attackers this week admitted downloading child porn from the internet.

David Selwood, who will be 70 next week, claimed at Bow Street Magistrates' Court it was a "clumsy attempt at research" and insisted he did not have any interest in young children.

The father of four, of Magdalen Hill, Winchester, was arrested as part of a national operation into users of paedophile websites after his details were passed to police by the FBI.

It was revealed that Selwood dealt with similar "Operation Ore" cases while resident judge at Portsmouth Crown Court. Other figures involved have included rock musician, Pete Townshend, of The Who, who was later cautioned.

On April 24th this year, police found 75 pictures of boys aged 8-14 on his laptop. The thumbnail photos, some of them enlarged, were graded as level one, the least serious grade, which includes young children posing naked for the camera.

Selwood also had papers giving information on how to find "boy newsgroups", the court heard. He later gave a prepared statement admitting that he had downloaded the images, but denying he was a paedophile.

"It was curiosity to see how easy it was for someone with limited computer skills to find images of that nature. I can see how foolish this may appear, but also there may be things going on in the subconscious mind I may be forced to look at."

Prosecutor, Amanda Sawetz, told the court: "I do not think it is possible to ignore the fact that Mr Selwood was a judge in cases involving Operation Ore."

Selwood admitted 12 charges of making indecent images on four occasions between March 8th and April 4th and one of possessing indecent photos of children on April 21st. His wife, Barbara, sat feet away in court.

District judge, Timothy Workman, said he would need reports before sentencing on July 13th. "I feel it is necessary to have some more information from the probation services. I have no intention of committing this to the Crown Court. In all other respects, options remain open."

Selwood faces up to six months in jail, but his lawyer, Richard Hallam, asked for a conditional discharge, adding: "He has been publicly humiliated."

Selwood, the son of a naval commander, became a solicitor in the 1950s and served in the Devonshire Regiment TA. He joined Army legal services in 1959, reaching the rank of major-general and was an adviser to the Chief of Staff to the UN forces in Cyprus. He also worked for the UK War Office and was director of Army legal services at the MoD, 1990-92.

He was made recorder in 1985, serving as a circuit judge from 1992 and then as resident judge at Portsmouth from 1996.

Friend and colleague, barrister, Anthony Donne, told the court it was a "devastating fall from grace", adding: "He was universally regarded as a high-quality serving judge.

"He was very much respected by all who had anything to do with him. His wife and he have been close friends and the effect has been absolutely catastrophic and humiliating.

"The publicity and fall from grace have been an enormous punishment to a man who, in my view, has had a very fine career. The fall from that high position to this morning has been absolutely devastating."

Judge Workman granted Selwood, who retired earlier this month from his £110,000-a-year post, unconditional bail.