A man has appeared in court charged with having a stockpile of child abuse videos.
Robert Curtis is said to have a total of 251 films, some of which are Category A, the most serious type, on an electronic device in his Blyth house.
The 56-year-old was also suspected of violating a sexual harm prevention order by downloading data deletion software onto a laptop.
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He was further charged with having a prohibited image of a child and possessing extreme pornography, involving humans, dogs and horses.
Curtis, of Worsdell Street, in Blyth, Northumberland, was on the platform at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 16 June.
He did not plead to three counts of fabricating an indecent image of a child, one of possession of a prohibited image of a child, one of violating a sexual harm prevention order and one of extreme pornography possession.
Instead, he only spoke to confirm his name, date of birth and address.
Grace Taylor, a prosecutor, told the court that offenses were allegedly committed between April 2018 and January 2019 in Blyth.
Curtis has been charged with having eight Category A videos, the most serious involving penetrative sexual activity, six Category B and 237 Category C.
Miss Taylor added: “The Crown would submit that this is unsuitable for a summary trial.”
Stewart Hay, defending, said: “I totally agree.”
Declining jurisdiction, Associate District Judge Gary Garland told Curtis: “These cases are to be heard in Crown court upstairs.
“They will be heard on July 14. Your lawyer has taken note of this. You will have to return to court on July 14 at 10 a.m.
“Until then, you are on unconditional bail.