'Radioactive' paedophile suspect on the run after skipping court



A 'radioactive' suspected paedophile has gone on the run after failing to show at court for child pornography offences.

Thomas Leopold, 42, a college principal, absconded days before his trial after having large doses of radiotherapy treatment for a thyroid condition.

A judge has issued a warrant for his arrest, warning police he could harm anyone he comes into contact with. Judge John Price said: 'Please warn officers that when he is arrested he might be radioactive. This is not a joke.'

Absconded: Tom Leopold has gone on the run after failing to appear at court to face child porn charges

Doctors believe Leopold's radioactivity level could be dangerous for up to six weeks after he was treated with what is thought to be iodine on February 3.

The principal who runs a private tutorial college called The Tutors Group in Hammersmith, West London, is facing five charges of downloading indecent images of children dating back to 2006.





Southwark Crown Court heard that he skipped bail four days before his trial to board an overnight ferry to Ireland, under the nose of the police.

Leopold was stopped by Special Branch officers on February 5 at Fishguard in Wales after boarding a ferry to Rosslare. Officers questioned the suspect, but they released him after he showed them his radiation card and said his bail conditions had been varied to allow him to visit his mother in Ireland.

He has not been seen since.



The alarm was raised when Leopold failed to show at his trial on February 9. Six days earlier, Leopold is thought to have been given radioactive iodine, a liquid treatment which travels through the bloodstream, to help with his overactive thyroid condition. The radiation dies away on its own, but patients can still pass on radiation through urine, saliva and sweat days after the treatment.

If the patient bled or was sick, that would also be radioactive.

Nick Mather, prosecuting, told the court that Leopold had told officers at Fishguard he would be returning in a week.

He also said the court had received a letter faxed by Leopold's doctor indicating he was unwell and not fit to attend court for three months.

Jeannie Mackie, defending, said that Leopold was in 'chronic poor health'.

She said: 'His doctor confirmed he is dangerous, in terms of radioactivity, for a period of six weeks after treatment. He travelled to Ireland on his own, in his car. When he showed his radiation card, he was permitted to stay in the car, on the boat.'

Police first arrested Leopold in July 2006 but he skipped bail and was later convicted of failing to attend court and fined £250.

His case was originally due to be heard in October 2006, but due to his ill health it was delayed.

The unmarried tutor was educated at Harrow School and graduated from Edinburgh University in 1989 with a degree in genetics and an MA in psychology. Previously he worked as a financier with Barclays de Zoete Wedd.

In 1993 he left the banking world to set up The Tutors Group at Blythe Hall School.

It employs more than 600 staff and works with more than 3,000 children, teaching infants to A-level students study skills, essay planning and examination technique.

He denies five counts of making indecent images of children and one of possessing 87 such images on or before April 25 2006.

The Tutors Group declined to comment.