A PRESTON councillor has been put on the sex offenders' register for life after he admitted 18 charges involving internet child pornography.

William David Chadwick, pictured, pleaded guilty at Liverpool Crown Court to 18 offences of making indecent photographs of children and was fined £1,000 and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Sentencing Chadwick, 48, who told the court he had since quit Preston City and Lancashire County councils, Mr Justice Mackay, said: "You are a man who has contributed much to public life and I suspect your life as a public man now lies in ruins. On 18 occasions you accessed the internet to download images of young children, principally, but not exclusively, young girls, for your personal gratification."

Chadwick, of Avenham Road, Preston, represented the Ingol ward on the city council and was Liberal Democrat leader in 1997 and a former Preston parliamentary candidate.

David Kerr, prosecuting, said police found 18 images had been stored on Chadwick's computer hard disk after sites, including 'Little Virgin', had been searched.

When interviewed Chadwick, who has no previous convictions, said that if it happened it was because someone may have done so accidentally.

John Jackson, defending, said the images depicted erotic posing without any sexual activity.