A GURKHA soldier based at Blandford Camp has been ordered to register as a sex offender by magistrates at Bournemouth after he admitted 23 charges of making indecent images of children.

Smartly-dressed Yambahadur Gurung, aged 35, of South Crescent, Blandford, pleaded guilty at his first court appearance.

He was remanded on unconditional bail to appear at Bournemouth Crown Court for sentencing on August 28.

Magistrates heard that the offences spanned a four-year time period, from 2005 to this year.

Police inquiries led to the seizure of Gurung’s home computer and a laptop computer.

They found hundreds of images, including three category five – the most serious level – 75 category four, and some films.

After the case, a Ministry of Defence Police spokesman confirmed that Gurung had been arrested at Blandford Camp on March 30, charged on July 8 and released on police bail.

He will now have to notify the police if he plans to travel abroad for seven days or longer.

The Gurkhas are from the small and mountainous country of Nepal in central Asia and have been part of the British Army for nearly 200 years.

They have a reputation for being brave and fierce warriors and still carry the traditional 18 inch long curved knife, the kukri, into battle.

Their ranks are dominated by four ethnic groups, including the Gurungs from central Nepal.

More East Dorset News