A SOUTH Petherton man has appeared in court accused of downloading thousands of indecent photographs of children along with extreme pornographic images involving animals.

James Pearce, 46, of Stoodham, appeared in the dock before Somerset Magistrates, sitting at Yeovil.

He was charged that between June 3, 2007 and April 4, 2016 at South Petherton he made indecent photographs of children, namely 499 images and 1,226 movie files in the most serious Category A.

He was also alleged to have made indecent photographs of children, namely 544 images and 393 movie files in Category B along with a similar offence involving 1,129 images and 121 movie files in Category C.

Pearce was also alleged to have been in possession of prohibited images of children, namely one image and one movie file.

He was also charged that on April 4 at South Petherton he possessed an extreme pornographic image which portrayed in an explicit and realistic way a person performing acts of intercourse and oral sex with a live animal, namely horses, dogs and other animals which were grossly offensive, disgusting or otherwise of an obscene character.

The defendant did not enter any pleas to the offences and the magistrates said the case was so serious that it must be sent to Taunton Crown Court to be dealt with.

They adjourned all matters until August 29 when Pearce must appear before a pre trial hearing at Taunton. Until then he was released on bail.