A PENSIONER has admitted possessing almost 6,000 indecent images of children including 25 graded at Category A deemed the most severe.

Appearing at Mold Crown Court for sentencing, 69-year-old Harry White, of Old Mold Road, Gwersyllt, had earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing indecent images and one of possessing extreme pornographic images of bestiality.

Prosecuting barrister John Philpotts, said police officers had executed a warrant to attend White’s home address at 8am on August 17, 2018, where the defendant, who was present with his wife, denied all knowledge of possessing any indecent images.

One laptop was seized from the living room and another from an outside workshop and following preliminary examinations at the scene, White was arrested and taken into custody in Wrexham.

After the laptops were examined in detail a total of 5,859 indecent still images were discovered along with seven moving images and 33 images of extreme pornography involving animals. 25 still images and one moving image were classed as Category A with 45 still images deemed Category B. 5,789 still images and six moving images were graded Category C.

Judge Peter Heywood said that while the offences clearly crossed the custody threshold, he was minded to impose a suspended sentence in order for “focused work” to be done with the defendant to make sure there was no reoffending.

For possession of the category A indecent images White received 10 months imprisonment with Judge Heywood also sentencing him to four months for the Category B images, two months for the Category C images and two months for the possession of extreme pornography.

The sentences are to run concurrently and all were suspended for 24 months with White also having to complete 60 days of a rehabilitation activity.

White will also be the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years, be required to register as a sex offender for 10 years, be disqualified from working with children and pay court costs of £1,200.