Ex-scout leader jailed for filming Belarus children
A FORMER children's charity volunteer and boy-scout leader has been jailed for filming and storing images of naked boys from Belarus who stayed at his house.
John Peppard, who runs a sweet shop from his home in Mount Melleray, Cappoquin, Co Waterford, was jailed for one year for the possession of 143 images and 10 videotapes containing child pornography.
Peppard, who became involved with the Chernobyl Children Appeal Ireland (CCAI) charity in 1995, pleaded guilty to the offence, described yesterday by Judge Alice Doyle as "a gross abuse of trust".
The charity said last night it was "sickened" by his behaviour and hoped that being associated "with a man like this" would not lead to its ruin.
Peppard had never been a member of the charity but had worked as a host volunteer and had been recommended as a "pillar of the community", it added.
He himself had "sourced" the children in the town of Khoiniki, and brought 30pc of them to Ireland on an airline used by the charity.
In Carlow Circuit Court, Judge Doyle described Peppard's behaviour as "very disturbing and very inappropriate".
Suspicions were raised after he left a roll of film with a chemist in Lismore, Co Waterford, in June 2003. Gardai were notified of the content of the film and a search of his house uncovered videotapes, photographs and 143 images, stored on a laptop computer, of naked boys aged between 10 and 14.
The court heard yesterday how Peppard had travelled between Ireland and Belarus for the charity as often as three times a year since 1995.
Swimming
Sgt Pauline Sheehan of Dungarvan Garda Station said one of the photographs showed Peppard on the floor with his belt open while attempting to take off the children's trousers.
Other images and video footage showed the children naked while swimming or in a shower.
The images were made in Ireland and Belarus.
Judge Doyle said she did not accept the defence's argument that the images were on the low scale of child pornography.
She described Peppard's behaviour as "most abusive to these children", adding: "If this had happened to Irish children there would be a public outcry."
She accepted that the accused had apologised to the children and their families and that he had pleaded guilty. But she had difficulty with the fact that he had considered the material "harmless fun".
She sentenced Peppard, a single man and former insurance broker, to 18 months in prison, with the last six months suspended. He was ordered to keep the peace for five years.
He has also been placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years and ordered to undergo treatment with a named clinical psychologist.
He was further ordered not to have any children aged between eight and 10 in his house for 10 years. He was denied leave to appeal.
Chernobyl Children's Appeal said Peppard had been "accepted as a host because he was known to former members of the board, a scout leader, and had a strong standing in the community".
The charity had "vigorous vetting procedures in place since 2003", the statement added. "Mr Peppard has had no association with our charity since July 2003."
The Chernobyl Children‘s Project International (CCPI), headed by Adi Roche and Ali Hewson, issued a statement yesterday saying it had no association with Chernobyl Children's Appeal.
- Dara deFaoite and Anne-Marie Walsh
