An Isle of Wight man who downloaded sexual abuse images of children, which included those of the most serious category, will learn his fate when he appears before a crown court judge.

Stuart Pettifer, of Station Avenue, Sandown, admitted to three charges of making an indecent image of a child, between November 7 and November 18, 2022, when he appeared at the Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court.

Of the images seized by the police, 14 of them — five of them stills and another nine as moving images — were classed as Category A, the most serious type.

Police also found 12 (seven stills, five movies) as Category B images, and a further 23 as Category C, comprised of 20 stills and three movies.

Pettifer also pleaded guilty to distributing an indecent photograph of a child, namely one category C image, on December 2, 2022.

All of the images were found on the 57-year-old's computer at his home address in Sandown, said Liz Miller, prosecuting.

No mitigation was put forward on his behalf.

Magistrates ordered a report on Pettifer and declined jurisdiction of the case.

Pettifer was bailed to reappear for sentencing at the Isle of Wight Crown Court on September 17.

He was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders' Register within three days of the hearing, or face possible imprisonment.