A Ministry of Defence firearms officer has admitted possessing more than 160 images of child abuse.

Police raided the home of Andrew Stevenson, 24, in August 2021 and found the pictures on his electronic devices.

Appearing at Carlisle Magistrates’ Court, he admitted three charges of making indecent photos of children. He will be sentenced on 19 September.

The MoD said Stevenson had been suspended and would likely face a gross misconduct hearing.

Stevenson was a serving officer based in Barrow-in-Furness and living alone in Ulverston when police went to his home to investigate information about indecent images.

Now of West Park Crescent, Kilmaurs, East Ayrshire, he was bailed on condition he does not have unsupervised contact with anyone aged under 18.

The court heard 94 of the illegal photographs were classed in category A, the most serious.

Thirty-seven others were classed in category B and 34 more in category C.

Prosecutor George Shelley told the hearing: “During the search, officers seized an iPhone, iPad, a desktop computer along with removable storage devices.

“An indecent video of children was found on the iPhone.”

Stevenson, who must also sign the sex offenders’ register, will be sentenced at the city’s crown court.

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