A FORMER Sedgemoor councillor who took indecent images of two youths and sexually assaulted one of them has been given a community order.

Joe Leach, 27, admitted committing the offences while the boys, aged 16 and 17, slept in his flat.

The offences took place between April, 2011, and August, 2012, and came to light when another boy looked on Leach’s computer.

Leach resigned as councillor for Highbridge and Burnham, and as leader of Sedgemoor Liberal Democrats, in December, 2012.

He appeared for sentencing at Taunton Crown Court last week when a judge said there was a level of grooming behaviour, but no purpose would be served by an immediate custodial sentence.

He ordered that Leach should sign the Sex Offenders’ Register, be supervised for three years and not refuse police access to his camera for five years.