A paediatrician has admitted sexually abusing boys in his care at a Cambridgeshire hospital.

Dr Myles Bradbury, 41, of The Street, Herringswell, Bury St Edmunds, today (September 15) pleaded guilty to 25 charges against a total of 18 victims.

Cambridge Crown Court heard the consultant paediatrician committed the offences against boys entrusted to his care at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, in Cambridge.

The victims, all boys, ranged in age from eight to 17 and suffered from illnesses including cancer and blood disorders.

Bradbury admitted 12 counts of engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with a boy aged 13 to 15, seven counts of sexually assaulting a boy under 13 by touching, three counts of causing or inciting a boy aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity and one count of voyeurism – recording a private act. He also pleaded guilty to two counts of making an indecent photograph of a child.

The offences took place between 2009 and 2013.

More than 16,000 indecent images of children were also found on a disk in Bradbury’s Suffolk home.

Bradbury was suspended by the NHS in November last year after a victim spoke to his parents about what had happened. Police were notified and he was arrested in December.

He was charged with 11 offences in June but more counts were added to the indictment in August after further victims came forward following publicity.

Detective Sergeant Shane Fasey said Bradbury had been interviewed on three occasions but declined to make any comment.

He said: “Bradbury’s offences were an appalling breach of trust committed against vulnerable victims who had been placed in his care.

“The families believed the boys were in his safe hands but they were actually being abused by Bradbury, who carried out examinations purely for his own sexual gratification and with no medical justification whatsoever.

“I would like to praise the victims and their families who have shown the bravery to come forward and help bring Bradbury to account.

“This has been a complex and challenging investigation, which involved working closely with Cambridge University Hospitals to gather the evidence to bring a case to court.”