HE was a highly respected teacher at one of Hampshire's top schools.

But Paul Day's career is today in ruins after he was almost sent to prison for making indecent photographs of children.

Day was an economics master at the prestigious King Edward VI School in Southampton when he downloaded the images from the Internet.

The homosexual lecturer was caught after police raided his Totton home on March 20 this year and seized his computer, New Forest magistrates were told.

Frank Richardson, prosecuting, said officers examined the equipment and discovered several images of boys indulging in sexual behaviour.

Day, 47, and now living in Westcliff on Sea, Essex, admitted 18 offences of making

indecent photographs of children under the age of 16.

Ryan Seneviratne, in mitigation, said: "Day is a homosexual - he has no qualms about that and is certainly not ashamed of it.

"He searched the Internet and

initially came across these images by

accident. Curiosity got the better of him and he carried on searching."

Mr Seneviratne said Day joined the staff of King Edward VI School in 1981 and had an exemplary record.

"He has now been dismissed from that employment and has lost a very distinguished career, together with a lot of self respect," he said.

"His parents are both in their late 70s and are extremely upset at the situation in which their son now finds himself.

"Day has no previous convictions - not even so much as a parking ticket - and the shame he feels is unreserved."

Day was made the subject of a 12-month community rehabilitation order and ordered to pay £130 costs. He was also told that his name would go on the sex offenders' register for five years.

Magistrate Paul Keeping said Day had "only just missed" a custodial sentence.

Mr Keeping said the type of offence committed by the defendant contributed to the exploitation of children by fuelling the demand for indecent material.