A KIDDERMINSTER school teacher who admitted making indecent images of children and a separate charge of voyeurism has avoided prison.

Stefan Hall, of Highfields Close, Kidderminster, was given a two-year jail sentence suspended for two years, at Worcester Crown Court.

The 41-year-old was told by Judge Nicholas Cole: "You have lost your career and thrown away part of your life."

Prosecutor Michael Aspinall said that Hall taught at Sutton Park Primary School and Franche Community School in Kidderminster. He was gay and got pleasure in seeing young boys in boxer shorts or swimwear.

When police visited his home on an unconnected matter, they found hundreds of pictures of boys aged seven to 13 on his computer equipment.

There was only one with a naked boy and that was covered in the charge of voyeurism.

Mr Aspinall said that some pictures had obviously been taken with a covert camera of a young boy and girl out shopping in Kidderminster. Some of his pupils described him as "odd."

Andrew Jackson, mitigating, said there was no sexual activity in any of the images.

Hall, who had shown immediate remorse and embarrassment, had lost his job and now had more menial employment. He had seen his doctor with a view to receiving counselling for his inclinations.

Judge Cole said Hall had shown a gross abuse of trust by taking pictures for his own sexual gratification. He ordered him to do 100 hours of unpaid work and pay £535 costs.

Hall has to sign on the sex offender register for 10 years and is barred from working with children.

He will be supervised by the probation service and must attend a sex offender’s group treatment course.