Last updated at 17:03, Friday, 13 July 2012

A WEB browser has admitted looking at pornographic images of people having sex with an animal.

Walney man Roger Alan Smith was found to be in possession of 17 images on his personal computer.

Eleven of the images displayed a person having sex with an animal and six displayed a person performing oral sex with ananimal.

The type of animal was unspecified in 16 of the cases, but one showed a person having oral sex with a horse.

Mr John Appleby, prosecuting, told Furness Magistrates’ Court yesterday that police had been speaking to 61-year-old Smith over an unrelated matter.

As a result of those inquiries, police seized his computer, analysed material contained in it and discovered the 17 images.

Smith was subsequently interviewed by police and confirmed the computer belonged to him and that he had bought it new. He told officers he viewed the images out of curiosity and did not save them.

He said he viewed them on only one occasion and was unaware the images were illegal.

Mr Steve Evans, defending, told the court the defendant viewed the images in one internet browsing session.

He said: “It is not as if he has come back, and back, and back with persistent conduct.

“It is curiosity rather than anything else.”

Smith, of Portsmouth Street, admitted 17 counts of possessing extreme pornographic images portraying an act of sexual intercourse, or oral sex, with an animal on March 8.

Proceedings were adjourned until August 2 while the probation service prepares a pre-sentence report. Smith was granted unconditional bail until that date.

First published at 16:23, Friday, 13 July 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk