A man has appeared in court after sick child abuse photos and videos were found at his Milnsbridge home.

Ashley Stephenson had over 4,000 indecent images involving children as young as five.

He pleaded guilty at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court to 21 charges of possessing an indecent photograph of a child.

Rory Byrne, prosecuting, said that police went to 37-year-old Stephenson’s address in Lockbridge Way on June 26.

He told the court: “The house was searched due to information police received and various digital items were seized and sent for forensic analysis.

“Eighty-eight had videos of children and the images included animated drawings of children being seriously sexually abused.

Ashley Stephenson had over 4,000 indecent images
Ashley Stephenson had over 4,000 indecent images

“They included material with children as young as five.”

A total of 4, 434 indecent images were found.

They included three still images and 30 moving images at category A.

This is the most serious category and covers penetrative sexual activity and sexual activity with an animal or sadism.

There were 67 still images and 32 moving images at category B which covers non-penetrative sexual activity.

And 4,276 still images and 26 moving images were classed as category C.

This covers other indecent images not falling within the other categories.

Kirklees Magistrates' Court, Huddersfield
Kirklees Magistrates' Court, Huddersfield

District Judge Michael Fanning told Stephenson that the case was so serious that it had to be dealt with by a crown court judge.

He committed the case to Leeds Crown Court for sentencing on January 7.

Stephenson was ordered to immediately sign the Sex Offender’s Register.

His bail conditions ban him from having unsupervised contact with a child aged under 16.

He must also not have in his possession any device capable of connecting to the internet.