#Ex-BBC reporter, pastor pleads guilty to sex crimes against children

A former BBC reporter in Wales confessed to numerous sexual offenses against children and adults spanning 30 years while working as a church pastor.

Benjamin David Thomas, 44, pleaded guilty on Friday to 10 counts of sexual activity with a child, eight sexual assaults and four attempts to commit sexual assault.

Thomas, who was charged last month, also admitted to seven counts of voyeurism and two counts of making indecent videos of children from 1990 to last year.

“It is an awful breach of the trust placed in him by the victims and their families, and I cannot begin to imagine what impact the revelation of his offending has had on them,” said Lynne Willsher of the North Wales police.

Thomas was a reporter and presenter on Ffeil, a Welsh language news show for young people, and Wales Today.

He left the BBC in 2005 to preach on London streets before returning to Wales in 2008 as pastor of the Criccieth Family Church.

Thomas is free on bail pending his sentencing set for Aug. 18.