POLICE who executed a search warrant on Deeside found more than 960,000 images.

They had not been categorised because of the sheer number but a substantial amount of files contained images of child sex abuse, a court heard.

Anthony John Southwood Edwards, 39, at the time of Ash Grove in Shotton but now living at West Avenue in Prestatyn, admitted a series of offences.

He admitted that between September 2014 and October 2018 at Shotton, he made by downloading 1,413 indecent movies and images of children aged under 18 years classed at category A; 1,317 indecent movies and images of children at category B and 21,708 indecent movies and images of children at category C.

The defendant admitted possessing 20 prohibited images of a child and 80 extreme pornographic images which portrayed, in an explicit and realistic way, a person performing an act of intercourse with live animals and which was grossly offensive, disgusting or otherwise of an obscene character.

District Judge Gwyn Jones, sitting at North East Wales Magistrates’ Court, said that in view of the sheer number of images, and their nature, his power of sentencing was insufficient and he was committed to the crown court for sentencing.

The judge ordered a pre-sentence report but warned that all sentencing options including custody would remain open.

Police made enquiries over images being downloaded to a particular IP address and it was confirmed that it was being used at the defendant’s address.

A warrant was executed and the defendant made admissions.

In addition to the images in the charges more than 960,000 picture and movies had been found but they had not been categorised due to the sheer volume. A substantial amount had images of child sex abuse.

He fully admitted being responsible for the large amount of data recovered and confirmed that no one else had access to it.

Defending solicitor Emma Simoes said that her client was realistic and appreciated that he may be sent to the crown court for sentence.

The court heard that he had been charged on December 23 and that due to his bail conditions he had been unable to live at the family home.

He was bailed on the same conditions. The defendant is not to use any device capable of accessing the internet unless he retains the history of use and makes it available to the police for inspection. He is not to have any contact with children under 18 without the consent of social services and he is not to live at any address where there were children under the age of 17. Miss Simoes said that an application to vary the bail conditions would be made in the future.

The judge told the defendant that he had pleaded guilty to possessing a significant number of images which would be dealt with in the crown court.