Choirmaster collected indecent images of children

A former choirmaster at a church in one of Britain's richest villages spent 14 years collecting of hundreds of indecent images of children.

David Bradford, 50, is facing jail after he was found in possession of 1,659 photographs and videos of children on devices at his home in Macclesfield, a court heard.

Among his hoard, which he downloaded between 2002 and 2016, were 25 Category A images, the most severe.

There is no suggestion that any of the victims were local.

After the hearing, a spokesman for St Peter’s Church in Prestbury where Bradford had worked as choirmaster of the girls’ choir, said he was sacked from the role with the church on his arrest in December last year.

The Rev Patrick Angier, vicar of St Peter’s, said he was ‘deeply shocked’ by Bradford’s arrest.He added:

Bradford, of Slater Street, Macclesfield, indicated a plea of guilty to possessing indecent photographs of a child, three charges of making indecent photographs, possessing extreme pornographic images, and possessing nine prohibited images of children at Stockport magistrates’ court on Monday, September 4.

Carl Miles, prosecuting, said the offences related to images downloaded between January 26, 2002 and December 23, 2016.

He said:

The court heard that 66 of the images were classified as Category B, and 1,568 as Category C.

Bradford will be sentenced at a later date.

Mr Miles said the sentencing guidelines were for a starting point of 12 months in custody, ranging from six months to three years.

He also said the prosecution would be applying for a Sexual Harm Prevention Order to protect the public.

Bradford was musical director for the Prestbury Youth Panto in 2007.Iain MacLeod, chairman of Prestbury Youth Pantomime Association, said: