A CHILDREN'S counsellor wept as he was locked up for six years for abusing youngsters and sharing pictures of child abuse with other paedophiles.

Robert Fothergill was also put on the sex offenders's register for life and was given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which restricts his computer use.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 46-year-old also visited a webcam website where he could watch boys as young as nine perform degrading sex acts.

Judge Tony Briggs read a pile of impressive testimonials from people Fothergill had helped as he worked with vulnerable pupils including abuse victims.

But he said behind the good public profile was a pervert with a dark private side, unable to resist sexual urges and prepared to put his desires first.

The court heard how police became aware of Fothergill's illegal online activity as they investigated a man in West Yorkshire with whom he was in contact.

After tracing him to his home in White Lands, Richmond, North Yorkshire, police also found indecent images of children on Fothergill's computer.

The investigation showed their had discussed abusing children on a chat log, and when he was interviewed in February, Fothergill made a string of confessions.

Tom Mitchell, mitigating, told the judge: "You deal with a man who has no previous convictions who has managed in the absence of any complainant to confess to the police substantially more than could ever be proved against him."

Mr Mitchell said the married former mortgage advisor was not weeping for himself in the dock, but for his "family and those he has offended against".

He said Fothergill took medication for "restless leg syndrome" and a known side effect was to make those who took it less able to combat urges that they faced.

Judge Briggs told the defendant: "It is plain on your public side there are very many good things to say about you.

"There is, indeed, an impressive collection of letters from people you have assisted and from people who obviously regard you highly.

"Unhappily, you have a darker side which is illustrated by your admission to these matters."

Outside court, North Yorkshire Police said self-employed Fothergill worked in schools in North Yorkshire, Durham, Cleveland and Tyne and Wear.

Detective Inspector Fiona Wynne said: “Fothergill’s admission of guilt has at least spared his victims the ordeal of going through the criminal justice system and a crown court trial.

"However, nothing can ever undo the harm he has caused both to the children he has directly abused or those whose pictures he has shared.

“Children’s safety is of paramount importance and they should be protected at all times from those who want to abuse them, particularly those who are in a position of trust.

"It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure they are kept safe, from parents to professionals, and I urge anyone who suspects a child is being abused to contact the police, or if they prefer, one of the many other agencies who can help."