A MAGISTRATE who heard cases at Swindon's youth court has been accused of owning and making child pornography.

Alan Jennings, 59, of Darnley Close, Walcot, appeared at Weymouth Magistrates' Court, in Dorset, because he could not appear in front of colleagues in Swindon. Jennings is charged with three counts of making indecent images of a child.

He is also accused of possessing 280 level one indecent images of a child, 30 level two indecent images and 17 level four indecent images.

Prosecutor Jenny Rickman said charges of indecent images are rated from one to five, with five being the worst.

She added that aggravating factors in the allegations were that Jennings was until recently a magistrate in a youth court, a teaching assistant and part-time coach of children's football.

Jennings did not enter a plea and was released on bail.

David Brewer, the justices clerk for Swindon magistrates, confirmed that Jennings had sat on the youth bench in the town.

He said the case could not be heard at a local court because magistrates would have known him and it would have been a breach of the rules.

Swindon Council spokeswoman Liz Richmond said: "I can confirm that a member of staff was suspended from a Swindon school last year for matters unrelated to the school that were being investigated by the police."

Jennings is well respected in football circles in the town and worked with children's football teams in Swindon for decades.

In 1994, the qualified FA coach, who was a familiar face in the town's youth football circuit, told the Adver: "I have been involved in the administration and management of teams in minor football for almost 30 years.

"I am willing to pass on my skills to anyone who will listen."

In an interview about the pressure children face on competitive teams he warned other sports coaches: "Remember that in some small way you may hold the key to the future development of the youngster and that equally you might be responsible for extinguishing the first spark so that his talent may be lost to this great game forever."

When the Advertiser visited him at his Walcot home, Jennings refused to comment on the charges.