A WIRRAL vicar has appeared in court charged with 18 counts of downloading and possessing indecent images of children.
The Rev Ian Hughes, of Brougham Road, Wallasey, is charged in relation to images that range in seriousness from level one to level five, level five being the most extreme.
The 46-year-old, who was Priest-in-Charge of St Paul’s in Seacombe and St Luke’s in Poulton, appeared at Wirral Magistrates Court today, Wednesday.
He faced 16 counts of downloading indecent photographs or pseudo photographs of children, and one count of possessing extreme pornography.
Ian Hughes, who was arrested on May 22 this year, faced a charge of possessing 8,212 indecent images of children.
Hughes, who was suspended by the Bishop of Chester immediately after his arrest, did not enter a plea and will now appear at Liverpool Crown Court on January 3 for a preliminary hearing.
He remains on conditional bail.
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