A man who built a collection of nearly 900 indecent images, including an extreme pornographic image involving a sexual act with a horse, appeared in court.

Anthony Bowden, 52, spoke only to confirm his name, address and to enter his pleas to five charges at Southampton Crown Court.

The court heard how on May 24, 2021, Bowden made a total of 894 indecent images of children.

Of these images, 805 were category C, 43 were category B, while 46 were category A – the most serious.

 Eastleigh man Anthony Bowden admitted having hundreds of vile sexual pictures - including of a live horse Eastleigh man Anthony Bowden admitted having hundreds of vile sexual pictures - including of a live horse (Image: Newsquest) He was also found to be in possession of a prohibited image of a child, and extreme pornographic image/images of an act of intercourse with a live horse.

All the offences occurred on May 24, 2021.

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Bowden, of Ruskin Road, Eastleigh, pleaded guilty to three charges of making indecent photographs of a child, one charge of possessing a prohibited image of a child, and a charge of possession of an extreme pornographic image portraying an act of sex with a horse.

He will appear before the same court on April 28 to be sentenced.

The maximum sentence for possession of category A photographs is three years’ custody, while the maximum for category B photographs is 18 months’ custody.

For possession of category C images, the maximum sentence is 26 weeks’ custody.