Ex scout leader accused of child sex abuse says he is a 'people pleaser'

A man accused of sexually abusing 19 boys and young men said he was a "people pleaser" and it was "just silliness". Ian Silvester, 60, faces 81 charges of indecent assault, sexual activity with a child, sexual assault and possession of indecent images of children involving 19 boys and young men as young as seven over 30 years. In a cross examination at Lewes Crown Court, prosecutor Lesley Bates questioned Silvester, of Locks Hill in Portslade, on his alleged internet searches for boys.

He said: “Boy is a clothing brand men wear, football managers talk about the boys. “You’ve got pop groups. Pet Shop Boys are adults.

“The word boy does not mean child. They are adults.” In response to being asked if he “liked looking at photos of little boys”, Silvester said, “no, it just reminds me of happier times”.

READ MORE: 'Large amount' of images of young boys found on ex scout leader's devices, court told The court heard that data, made up of pictures and videos of young boys and males often in speedos, for example wrestling or being tickled, was found on Ian Silvester’s devices by police amounting to 14 terabytes across 34 devices. Images shown to the court filmed by Silvester include young boys diving at a swimming pool, with a “focus on the genital area”, the prosecution said, and a video of a young boy mowing the grass without a top on in what appears to be a back garden. Silvester has also been accused of touching and tickling young boys from the 1980s onwar.