Scappaticci pleads guilty to 'extreme pornographic image' charges

A man widely named as the Army's notorious IRA agent Stakeknife has admitted two counts of possessing extreme pornography.

Freddie Scappaticci, 72, appeared briefly before Westminster magistrates incentral London to admit the charges.

Chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot sentenced Scappaticci to three months incustody, suspended for 12 months.

The court heard the charges related to at least 329 images. There were no images involving children.

The magistrate said: "You have not been before the court for 50 years - andthat's good character in my book."

Scappaticci has always strongly denied claims that he is Stakeknife, ahigh-ranking military mole who reputedly led the republican organisation's"nutting squad", an internal security unit which interrogated and murderedsuspected spies during the Northern Ireland conflict.