A MAN accused of importing an illegal child sex doll has been made to sign the sex offenders register after pleading guilty to downloading hundreds of indecent images of children.

Ritchie Plumb, 37, of Derry Park, Minety pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and one of possessing prohibited images of children at Swindon Crown Court.

Between February 16, 2014 and December 12, 2017, he made four images in category A, the worst bracket, 14 in category B, and 1,963 in category c.

Plumb also had 11 prohibited images of children, which usually refer to cartoons or drawings, on December 12.

The allegation that he imported an illegal child sex doll was dropped by prosecutors after further analysis of the item.

It is believed that although it was child-sized, the doll was of an adult and therefore not illegal to either possess or to import into the country.

Tom Bignall, defending, asked for the images matter to be put off so a full presentence report can be prepared on Plumb. He said it was the sort of case which had to be looked at carefully, with the consideration of courses his client could go on.

Recorder Michael Vere-Hodge QC adjourned the case to Friday, September 14 and released Plumb on bail.

He said: "You have pleaded guilty to four counts on the indictment. I will put the case back for a full report on you.

"You must come back on September 14 when you will be sentenced not by me but by another judge.

"I am going to release you on the same bail as before but you should not take that as an indication of how you will be sentenced because these are serious offences and I have asked for the report to cover all options and it is no indication of how you are going to be sentenced by another judge."

He was told he must register as a sex offender with the total period he must do so to be determined by the sentence to be imposed.

Plumb was released on bail on a number of conditions including restrictions on his contact with children.