Freddie Scappaticci, the man widely named as the Army’s IRA informer ‘Stakeknife’, has pleaded guilty at Westminster Magistrates’ Court to two charges of possessing extreme pornographic images.

The court heard the charges related to at least 329 images, including some involving animals.

Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot sentenced Scappaticci, 72, to three months in custody, suspended for 12 months.

She said: "You have not been before the court for 50 years - and that's good character in my book."

Bedfordshire Police said Scappaticci the two counts under the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008.

At Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, he admitted both charges.

Scappaticci has always strongly denied claims that he was Stakeknife, a high-ranking military mole in the IRA's internal security unit which interrogated and murdered suspected spies during the Northern Ireland conflict.

Defending, Richard Whittam QC said the offending took place over 13 days, using 20 search terms.

He said the pornography comprised still images - not moving images - and they were not saved on to his computer.

There were no images involving children.