A Chippenham pensioner is facing charges of possessing indecent images of children and pornographic images of bestiality.

Stephen Michael Beckford, 65, of London Road, attended magistrates’ court in Chippenham on Thursday, charged with possessing a total of 655 indecent images and videos of children between February 2010 and May 2013.

He is also accused of possessing three extreme pornographic images portraying a person performing a sex act with dogs and horses.

No plea was entered before District Judge Simon Cooper on Thursday, when he was represented by solicitor Lee Mott.

Beckford must attend Swindon Crown Court on December 12 and was released on bail on the condition he does not have any unsupervised contact with children aged under 16 in a place of privacy, without the consent or knowledge of their parent or responsible adult.