'Radioactive' college head Thomas Leopold admits having child pornography on computer

A 'radioactive' college principal who sparked a health scare when he went on the run admitted today keeping child pornography on his computer.

Thomas Leopold made headlines when he jumped bail to board a ferry to Ireland after being given large doses of deadly radiation for a thyroid condition.

His GP warned that the treatment meant he posed a danger to members of the public during his escape in February.

Leopold, who has returned from Ireland, appeared at Southwark Crown Court today where he admitted five charges of making indecent photographs of children.

The 42-year-old, who runs a private tutorial college in Hammersmith, West London, denied a single charge of possessing 87 indecent images of children, which will remain on file.

The judge rejected arguments by the defence counsel that a fine would be sufficient punishment but told Leopold he would not be going to prison.

Stephen Kamlish QC, defending, said there were 'good reasons' for such a 'bold' proposal.

Ordering a pre-sentence report, Judge Geoffrey Rivlin QC said: 'Given Mr Leopold has had the good sense to plead guilty, which is a very important matter, and given that he has been in a poor state of health, I believe I can properly put him out of his misery and make it clear that ... an immediate custodial sentence will not be imposed in this case.'

Leopold, of Hammersmith, was released on bail to be sentenced on May 8.

He is regarded as being of previous good character.

He admitted downloading from the internet five indecent images of children. On the official scale of one to five which is used to rate the seriousness of abusive images, two of them were classified at the least serious level one, two at level two and one at the more serious level three.

Leopold will be sentenced next month.

The search for Leopold began in February when he failed to arrive at court for trial on February 9.

Six days earlier, Leopold is thought to have been given radioactive iodine, a liquid treatment which travels through the bloodstream, to help with his overactive thyroid condition. The radiation dies away on its own, but patients can still pass on radiation through urine, saliva and sweat days after the treatment.

At the time Judge John Price issued a warrant for his arrest but warned officers he might still be radioactive because of his treatment, adding: 'This is no joke.'

Leopold was stopped and questioned by Special Branch officers on February 5 at Fishguard in Wales but was released after he said his bail conditions had been varied to allow him to visit his mother in Rosslare, and that he would be back in a week.

He showed them a card recording his radiation treatment and was allowed to stay on the boat, inside his car.

Police first arrested Leopold in July 2006 but he skipped bail and was later convicted of failing to attend court and fined £250.

His case was originally due to be heard in October 2006, but due to his ill health it was delayed.

The unmarried tutor was educated at Harrow School and graduated from Edinburgh University in 1989 with a degree in genetics and an MA in psychology. Previously he worked as a financier with Barclays de Zoete Wedd.

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