Ex-head and Yorkshire film-maker faces jail for downloading child porn images

Terry Ladlow, 73, admitted 24 separate charges for offences between 2005 and last year when he appeared before York Crown Court yesterday.

The case against the church organist, of Hamerton Road, Hunmanby, North Yorkshire, was adjourned for a pre-sentence report. He is due to be sentenced in September.

The court heard that Ladlow was caught in possession of images in each of the five categories of the scales used to categorise the severity of child pornography. The Recorder of York, Judge Stephen Ashurst, told Ladlow that he must now sign the Sex Offenders’ Register. And the judge warned him: “Before you leave the dock you must understand that the fact bail has been extended must not be taken by you of any indication or promise of what your sentence may be.”

Psychiatric reports are to be carried out on Ladlow before he is sentenced.

Ladlow moved to Hunmanby in 2004 from Wetwang, near Driffield, and became the church organist at St Oswald’s Church in Filey. He began a career in primary school teaching at the age of 22 and spent 33 years in the profession, including two decades as a headteacher.

He also worked at the North Riding College in Scarborough, before taking early retirement from teaching at the age of 55. He is understood to have also taught in Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire, Portsmouth and Hull.

Ladlow is also well-known for film-making work. His Yorkshire Heritage videos, of which he has produced a number of editions, have sold more than 28,000 copies. He created 10 educational documentaries which he sold to schools and the British Council and took part in the Scarborough Silent Film Festival. His recent projects have included writing scores for silent movies and restoring historic films of Scarborough.