A former Scout leader has been jailed for nine months after repeatedly downloading indecent images of children.

John Worth, 53, previously of Garrick Gardens, West Molesey, and now of Amis Avenue, West Ewell, pleaded guilty at Guildford Crown Court on September 16 to having more than 400 indecent or prohibited images of children.

Worth was given a nine month prison sentence, suspended for two years, at Canterbury Crown Court on February 26, 2010, after pleading guilty to five counts of possession of indecent images of children.

From this date, Worth was required to have monitoring software on any device he had which was able to connect to the internet.

On November 8, 2011, activity on Worth’s computer was brought to the attention of the police and he was arrested on December 20, 2011, months before the end of his suspended sentence.

The court was told how there had been searches for bestiality on Worth’s computer, which triggered the warrant by police.

A total of 119 indecent images of children, ranging from category one to category four, and 317 prohibited images of children were found on a hard drive owned by Worth, which did not have the monitoring software installed on it.

Speaking at Guildford Crown Court on November 25, Richard Atchley, defending, said: “This man has a problem, of that, there is no doubt and he has had it for a considerable period of time.

"It is very unusual in that he has been very open about that to his family and friends. He has lost his business and many friends because of it.

“He knows he is in breach and has not offended again. It shows an attitude which is trying to change.

“It is clear that from his statement he approaches things with a degree of openness. He is trying and I would ask your honour to carry on letting him try.”

As part of his previous sentence, Worth was given a sexual offences prevention order for 10 years and also attended group sessions to help with his problem.

Summing up, Judge Suzan Matthews QC, said: “You have had a very great fall from a height of responsibility and your personal relationships proved very difficult in adult life.

“Clearly the aggravated factors in your situation are repeat offending but what I formally do take in to account is there has been a plea of guilty for offences which were committed in 2011.

“In February 2010 you committed like offences to this and received a suspended sentence.

"If you commit further offences, particularly of the same nature, it is presumed that unless it would be unjust to do so, it would be complied with in full or part.”

Worth was given a 20-week sentence for breaching his suspended sentence and 16 weeks for committing the offence in 2011 and will serve his sentences consecutively.

A sexual offences prevention order was put in place for 10 years and a forfeiture and destruction order for all his equipment was agreed.