A Maida Vale minister who trawled illicit internet sites under the guise Uncle Harry has been convicted of downloading hundreds of child pornography images. Rev Martin Tullett, a part-time chaplain at St Mary s Hospital, Paddington, was found to have mo

A Maida Vale minister who trawled illicit internet sites under the guise 'Uncle Harry' has been convicted of downloading hundreds of child pornography images.

Rev Martin Tullett, a part-time chaplain at St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, was found to have more than 400 sexually explicit pictures of children on his computer.

The 46-year-old, who had counselled victims of the 7/7 bombings, was a respected clergyman at the Hinde Street Methodist Church, Marylebone, and Trinity Methodist Church in Fernhead Road, Maida Vale.

But unbeknown to his congregation and employers he was regularly surfing a depraved website - using the pseudonym "Uncle Harry" - to view erotic photographs of 12 and 13-year-old girls.

A Met Paedophile Unit investigation of the illegal site allowed police to track Rev Tullett to his home in Queen's Park.

He was arrested in June when officers seized computers and storage devices containing file upon file of underage pornography. He appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on November 17 and pleaded guilty to two counts of downloading indecent images of children.

And the Wood&Vale discovered that just one month before his arrest Rev Tullett blogged about porn addiction.

He wrote: "A writer (I forget who) on addiction suggested that an addiction to porn is harder to eradicate than an addiction to a substance in that the substance can be got out of your blood eventually but images remain forever in your head."

A police statement said an investigation led to a warrant for Tullett's arrest. It said: "A search led to the seizure of a number of computers and other storage devices. Following an analysis, Tullett was discovered to be in possession of approx 430 indecent images of children."

Following his arrest the shamed minister was suspended from his positions at the hospital and the Methodist Church in Britain.

Church spokeswoman Anna Drew said: "Martin has been informed that conviction under such a charge would normally preclude someone from holding any office in the Methodist Church, though no action can be taken by the church until the legal proceedings have reached their conclusion.

"The Methodist Church takes the safety and wellbeing of children and young people very seriously and operates stringent safeguarding procedures."

Tullett's conviction and sentencing will take place next month and will mark a spectacular fall from grace for the father-of-two.

He has risen through the ranks of the Methodist Church to become superintendent of the North West London Mission which oversees the Marylebone and Maida Vale churches, as well as two other London congregations.

He played a key role in comforting the injured who arrived at St Mary's hospital after the 7/7 bombings, as well as conducting funerals for the victims.

A spokeswoman for St Mary's Hospital said: "Martin Tullett was excluded from working at the Trust in June 2008 when a criminal investigation into allegations made against him began.