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A man accused of sexually abusing 19 boys and young men said he was a "people pleaser" and it was "just silliness". Ian Silvester, 60, faces 81 charges of indecent assault, sexual activity with a child, sexual assault and possession of indecent images of children involving 19 boys and young men as young as seven over 30 years. In a cross examination at Lewes Crown Court, prosecutor Lesley Bates questioned Silvester, of Locks Hill in Portslade, on his alleged internet searches for boys.
He said: “Boy is a clothing brand men wear, football managers talk about the boys. “You’ve got pop groups. Pet Shop Boys are adults.
“The word boy does not mean child. They are adults.” In response to being asked if he “liked looking at photos of little boys”, Silvester said, “no, it just reminds me of happier times”.
READ MORE: 'Large amount' of images of young boys found on ex scout leader's devices, court told The court heard that data, made up of pictures and videos of young boys and males often in speedos, for example wrestling or being tickled, was found on Ian Silvester’s devices by police amounting to 14 terabytes across 34 devices. Images shown to the court filmed by Silvester include young boys diving at a swimming pool, with a “focus on the genital area”, the prosecution said, and a video of a young boy mowing the grass without a top on in what appears to be a back garden. Silvester has also been accused of touching and tickling young boys from the 1980s onwards in a practice he called “jungle treatment”, allegedly administered during his time as a scout leader, a first aid trainer, a diving instructor and a babysitter.
Ms Bates detailed a number of alleged incidents of touching of young boys and males, laid on their backs with their tops removed, while Silvester is said to have tickled and stroked their chests, sometimes laid on top of them and sometimes using objects, including feathers and ice cubes. READ MORE: Man accusing Ian Silvester of sexual abuse gives evidence He denies all the charges, telling the court that his internet search history was down to him researching while trying to find a partner. In relation to the tickling, Silvester said it was a part of a scout initiation he went through himself as a cub.
He said: “It was all based on the Jungle Book.” “I was Akela the wolf. It was just a time filler, just silliness.
“They seemed absolutely fine. They would laugh or giggle or smile. “If the cubs were happy, I was happy.
” Silvester denies the charges. He denied any sexual gratification or interest in underage boys. He added: “I’m a people pleaser.
“It’s important to me that everyone around me is happy,” Earlier, the court heard the former Scout leader boasted he had the perfect cover for abusing young boys. In an email exchange with another man, the former St John’s Ambulance instructor said he used first aid classes to abuse boys. Ms Bates said: “In one email he says he had the perfect cover story for what he was doing to the boys - his first aid training.
” The trial continues at Lewes Crown Court..
