A CROSS Hills man faces an inevitable jail sentence after admitting indecently assaulting three young boys.

At Bradford Crown Court yesterday (Thursday) David Lee Leach, 30, pleaded guilty to 28 counts relating to child pornography and gross indecency with young boys under 11. The Recorder, Peter Babb, warned him that a jail sentence was inevitable.

Leach admitted indecently assaulting and gross indecency with an eight-year-old boy in Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, between January 1 and July 31 last year.

He also admitted indecently assaulting and two counts of gross indecency with an 11-year-old boy between October 10 and December 23 last year. And he pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting a seven-year-old child and indecency with the same boy between those dates.

The offences against the seven year old boy and the 11 year old boy occurred in Bangkok, Thailand.

Leach further admitted 16 counts relating to still images of child pornography found on a computer. The charges relate to dates between December 23 2002 and January 16 this year. He further confessed to four charges relating to short videos of child pornography found on a computer between December 17 2002 and January 16 this year.

Mitigating for Leach, Jayne Beckett said that her client was 30 years old and was of previous good character. She said that the bulk of these allegations had arisen through interview, and asked for a report to be prepared before the court passed sentence.

The defendant was remanded in custody until July 11.

Mr Babb said that the report should not only give the court information about Leach, but an assessment of his risk to children.

Mrs Beckett said that Leach was aware of the seriousness of the offences and the likely consequences.

But Mr Babb left the defendant in no doubt. "It will be custody," he said, adding it was only left to determine how long the sentence would be.