A father has told of his horror after discovering a language student staying in his family home was a convicted sex offender.

The first Wayne Beavill knew of Czech Republic student Zdenek Junek's history was when police raided the family's home in Bevendean, Brighton and found indecent pictures of children on Junek's computer.

The 32-year-old was staying with Mr Beavill and his wife and two young sons for three months when he was stopped by police for filming children in Brighton's Old Steine.

Mr Beavill has since learned that Junek has a criminal record for similar offences in his home country.

Mr Beavill, who has to have regular criminal record checks (CRB) to make sure he is a suitable host for foreign language students, has asked why a sex offender was allowed to stay in his family home.

He said: “The police told us he had a history of similar offences in his own country.

“He seemed like a nice enough guy, kept himself to himself, so we never would have thought he's do something like this.

“He was due to stay with us until August and I dread to think what could have happened if he'd not been caught.

“In hindsight we do keep thinking of things that might have been dodgy. He was always in his room on his computer.

“The language school, EF, CRB check all the host families but this guy wasn't CRB checked and was allowed to live in our house with our children.

“They haven't given us as much as an apology and have just said it's the first time it's ever happened.

“But if they're not checking students' background how many others do they not know about?”

Junek was jailed on Friday at Lewes Crown Court for 30 months for making indecent images of children, possessing indecent images of children and making an indecent video of children.

A spokeswoman for Sussex Police said the force would not have been aware of Junek's previous convictions until he was arrested in Sussex.

A spokeswoman for the Home Office explained that checks can be made on the criminal history of nationals of the Czech Republic by making an application to the Czech national criminal records office or embassy for a cost of about 50 Czech Koruna (about £1.50).

Vice-principal Bev Garth, of the EF language school, in Old Steine, where Junek was a student, said: “We were extremely shocked to hear of this case, as an accredited organization which complies fully with all the requirements of the industry.

“There are no standards or requirements for vetting visitors who are accommodated in private accommodation.

“We would never have knowingly placed someone with a known record within a family. The information is not available to us.

“We have discussed this direct with the host family concerned and apologised for any distress caused.”