A MAN has  admitted a string of charges relating to possession and distribution of child and animal pornography.

At Bolton Crown Court Colin Berry pleaded guilty to seven charges.

His conduct took place between January, 2015 and March last year.

The 24-year-old admitted during this time period he downloaded 287 category A, the most serious, indecent images of children.

He also downloaded a further 271 category B images and 391 category C ones.

Berry, of Devonshire Road, Atherton, also admitted he was in possession of 1,007 prohibited images of children during this time.

He pleaded guilty to having 52 extreme pornographic images.

As well as this Berry admitted distributing three category A indecent images of children and also two category C ones.

Following his pleas to the seven charges Tom Watson, defending, spoke on his behalf.

He asked for a report to be prepared in the case before Berry was sentenced for the offence.

He said as Berry had pleaded guilty he was aware he would have to be placed on the sexual offenders’ register and his plan was to leave court in order to sign the relevant papers for this to go ahead.

As well as this he said Berry had been prepared to plead guilty in the magistrates’ court but was waiting for clarification so should be entitled to be given full credit for an early plea.

He said the charges relating to distribution of child pornography “probably represent the most serious matters, certainly they put the defendant at risk of an immediate prison sentence.

“That is understood.”

But he said he hoped to be able to argue that “other types of sentence” not involving an “immediate loss of liberty” could be considered.

Judge Tom Gilbart adjourned sentence to a date next month for a report to be prepared.

He told Berry there were “serious matters” and the report was to allow the court to have “relevant information” before it decided how to deal with him.