Teacher admits child porn charges

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A County Down grammar school teacher has admitted downloading thousands of images of children being abused.

Steven Vincent Colton, 52, pleaded guilty to 30 specimen charges of making indecent photographs of children between March 2004 and January 2008.

Mr Colton, Ballygoskin Road, Crossgar, taught at Sullivan Upper Grammar School, Holywood until last January.

The case is said to involve 67,000 still images and 13,000 movie images. Mr Colton was remanded in custody.

Craigavon Crown Court was told that five of the charges were of the "highest and most grave" nature.

A solicitor representing the accused said Mr Colton, formerly of Broom Park in Twinbrook, would not be applying for bail.

However, he applied for sentencing to be adjourned to allow for the preparation of probation reports.

Mr Colton is due to be sentenced next month.

Mr Colton had taught history and politics at Sullivan Upper Grammar School.

The school said he had been on precautionary suspension since his arrest in January last year and a few weeks ago handed in his resignation.

The school said no aspect of the charges involved his work at the school.