A FORMER Boys' Brigade leader from the North-East was jailed yesterday after admitting a string of child sex attacks and Internet pornography offences.

David Bell and Jonathan Scarcliffe pleaded guilty to 26 charges earlier this year, ranging from making, taking, possessing and distributing thousands of images of young boys to gross indecency and sexual assault.

One of the victims was a toddler aged 17 months. Others ranged in age from four to 12. Their ordeals were either filmed or photographed and posted on the Internet to be viewed or downloaded by other paedophiles.

The experience was said to have left the youngsters psychologically and physically damaged.

Bell, 44, of Morris Street, Birtley, near Chester-le-Street, was jailed for four years, and Scarcliffe, 37, of Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, for five-and-a-half years.

Michael Burrows, prosecuting, told Warwick Crown Court that police found 5,108 indecent images of children on Bell's computer and 1,398 on Scarcliffe's computer.

Twenty images on Bell's computer were classed in the most serious bracket.

The investigation into child abuse and Internet child pornography involved British and US detectives.

Bell, who as well as being a former Boys' Brigade leader was also involved in a swimming club, was bullied at school and at work and had become an introspective loner, his counsel, Nick Devine, said.

Speaking outside court, Detective Sergeant Ally Wright, of Warwickshire Police, said: "I am pleased that two very dangerous predatory paedophiles have been taken out of the community and put behind bars where I firmly they believe they belong."

Both defendants were ordered to sign on to the sex offenders' register for life.