A BIRKENHEAD man has appeared in court accused of possessing more than 50,000 indecent images of children.

David Wilson, of Seafield Road, was in the dock at Wirral magistrates court on Wednesday.

The 47-year-old faces a total of 11 charges of both downloading and possessing indecent images of children, some of which are in the most extreme category.

As well as facing six charges relating to downloading both video and still images in categories A, B and C, Wilson is also accused of possessing 2,714 images rated as the most extreme.

A further 3,757 images fall in category B and 45,418 in category C.

Wilson also faces a further charge of possessing 26 extreme pornographic images “which portrayed, in an explicit and realistic way, a person performing an act of intercourse with a live animal and which was grossly offensive, disgusting or otherwise of an obscene character”.

Wilson is also said to have had 1,077 “prohibited images of a child”.

He made no indication of plea and will next appear at Liverpool Crown Court for a plea and case management hearing on April 8.

Wilson was released on bail until that date.