Ex-NHS Chief Admits To More Child Porn

A former health chief has admitted computer child pornography charges for the second time in five years.

Tom Skinner, who was administrator of Borders Health Board and latterly NHS Borders for 29 years, was fined £2000 and put on the Sex Offenders’ Register in 2003 after being involved in making indecent photographs of children.

The latest offences came to light in June last year when police monitoring sex offenders paid a routine visit to Skinner’s home near Selkirk.

The officer suspected Skinner was viewing child porn and his computer was seized and examined by forensic analysts.

Skinner, 63, admitted being in possession of 400 pornographic photographs on his computer between January 15 and July 31, 2007.

Skinner, who is married and has a 20-year-old daughter, also admitted making 45 indecent images of children including some showing a high level of abuse.

Procurator-fiscal Viki Welton told Selkirk Sheriff Court that examination of Skinner’s computer revealed he had searched for “pre-teen girls” and “pre-teen models” on the internet.

Defence lawyer Roy Harley said Skinner’s wife had forced him to accept counselling in October and since then he had had no inclination to view pornographic images.

Mr Harley added that Skinner no longer had a computer in his house.

Skinner resigned from NHS Borders in 2003.

Sentence was deferred until October 20 for background reports.