Myles Bradbury: Cambridge paedophile doctor 'had 170,000 images'

A paedophile doctor who abused young cancer patients had more than 170,000 spy pen images, a court heard.

Myles Bradbury, 41, of Herringswell, Suffolk, admitted abusing 18 children in his care at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, between 2009 and 2013.

Cambridge Crown Court heard the pen carried 170,425 images of "boys partially clothed... none indecent".

Bradbury's sentencing hearing was told the images were gathered at Addenbrooke's Hospital.

Some of his victims had haemophilia, leukaemia and other serious illnesses.

John Farmer QC, prosecuting, said Bradbury's "abuse of his position of trust was extreme".

'Sexual interest in boys'

Bradbury has admitted 25 offences, including sexual assault, voyeurism and possessing more than 16,000 indecent images.

The doctor admitted abusing 18 boys in his care

At the beginning of the hearing, Mr Farmer said Bradbury, who was involved in church and scout groups, had a "longstanding, unlawful, sexual interest in boys" and had "betrayed his profession".

The prosecutor said the familiar routine involved isolating the victims, asking them to remove their clothes and then groping their genitals "for his own personal gratification" and not any medical requirement.

Sometimes the abuse happened behind a hospital curtain, just feet from unsuspecting parents.

'Behavioural problems'

A victim impact statement read to the court said: "Since this has happened [my son] has changed a lot. He feels he has no purpose in life any more, he has panic attacks.

"He's changed from a lively boy, to a withdrawn boy."

After abusing another victim, Bradbury offered the child a choice, saying, "You don't have to tell your father but you can if you want", the court heard.

The defendant was first arrested in December 2013 by Suffolk Police.

Canadian authorities had alerted the UK's Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre in July 2012 that he had bought a DVD containing indecent images of children, but CEOP didn't pass on the information until November 2013.

Myles Bradbury carried out his abuse over four years

At that point Cambridgeshire Police were already investigating after concerns were raised about his conduct at Addenbrooke's.

Dr Keith McNeil, the hospital's chief executive, said parents held the doctor "in the highest of esteem", but now they were "reluctant to go back" to the hospital.

The court heard that when confronted by a colleague Bradbury seemed anxious and suggested one of his victims had behavioural problems.

Defence barrister Angela Rafferty said she had not been instructed to put forward any mitigation, adding "the only point I make is a legal point - thankfully, none of the offences were penetrative".

Judge Gareth Hawkesworth replied: "Not penetrative physically, but highly penetrative psychologically".

Ms Rafferty continued: "Clearly, on a human level, something has gone very badly wrong in this man's life and thought processes."

She said Bradbury seemed to have had repressed homosexual feelings during puberty and this had influenced his behaviour.

The case was adjourned until Monday.