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A Merseyside vicar is facing jail after pleading guilty to making and possessing thousands of indecent images of children.

The Rev Ian Hughes, who was priest in charge of the Wirral parishes Poulton and Seacombe, admitted 16 counts relating to more than 8,000 images and movies when he appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today.

Hughes, 46, appeared in the dock wearing a dark suit and tie without his trademark nose ring and dog collar and replied guilty as each charge was put to him.

He also admitted possession of an extreme pornographic image that was “grossly offensive and disgusting” involving an animal.

Hughes was charged following a search of his home on Brougham Road, Wallasey , on May 22 last year.

Pornographic material recovered included more than 6,000 images and movies at the lowest category of seriousness, more than 1,000 at category two, more than 500 at categories three and four and more than 60 at category five, the most serious.

Judge David Aubrey adjourned sentencing until January 28 so a pre-sentence report could be written and said Hughes would have to sign on the sex offenders register immediately.

He told him: “You will now be subject to the relevant requirements on the register.

“The court will consider all matters on that day and determine what is the appropriate sentence.

“All sentencing options will remain open to the court.”

In recent years Reverend Hughes won a £270,000 Heritage Lottery grant to rebuild the spire at St Paul’s and oversaw the move of the congregation of St Luke’s in Poulton to Park Primary after the church building closed.

Following his arrest on suspicion of possessing indecent images of children he was suspended by both the Church of England and Wallasey school Park Primary where he was a governor.

After charges were brought against him a spokesman for the Church of England’s Diocese of Chester said: “Ian Hughes was suspended from all church duties as soon as these very serious and disturbing allegations became known to us.”