A pervert who downloaded more than 15,000 indecent images of children has been told that he is likely to receive a custodial sentence.

Alan Moore, of Chequers Walk, Waltham Abbey, was remanded on bail by a judge at Chelmsford Crown Court, earlier today.

The 54 year-old entered a guilty plea to five charges of downloading child pornography, 46 images within one charge are categorised by the Crown Prosecution Service as involving sadism or bestiality.

Moore also admitted in court to downloading a further 420 pornographic movie images of children.

Peter Gair for the prosecution said that the judge should consider a 12 month custodial sentence as a starting point.

Judge Anthony Goldstaub QC said that he would like to establish whether or not Moore was likely to have tried to contact children, before sentencing.

He said: “I’ll order a report with particular attention to contact, a letter was found about grooming which is said to be fantasy. Whether or not there is risk of contact, that would seem most important to me.”