A registered sex offender caught with indecent images after police searched his home will be sentenced at the crown court.

Martyn Hart, 68, of Chapel Lane, Wickham Market, near Woodbridge, pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children, possessing prohibited images of children, and possessing an extreme pornographic image before magistrates in Ipswich on Friday.

The court heard how officers carried out a routine unannounced visit at Hart's home on January 15, 2020.

Following the search, indecent images of children were discovered and a device was seized, Pretty Barber, prosecuting, told the court.

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Hart told officers he had been lonely over Christmas and had experienced "a blip" in viewing indecent images of children, Ms Barber said.

Following analysis, a total of 75 category C indecent images of children were discovered, along with 26 prohibited images of children between August 28, 2019, and January 16, 2020.

Hart was also found to be in possession of a "grossly offensive" extreme pornographic image which "portrayed in an explicit and realistic way an act which threatened a person's life" between the same dates.

Ms Barber said Hart had a previous conviction for making indecent images of children from 2018, which is why he was subject to the unannounced home visit from public protection officers.

On that occasion, Hart received a three-year community order and a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) was also imposed by Ipswich Crown Court.

Hart, who was represented by solicitor Jeremy Kendall at the hearing, spoke only from the dock to confirm his personal details and enter his guilty pleas.

Mr Kendall said Hart was already on the sex offenders' register but may need to re-register following his latest conviction.

Mr Kendall also requested that an all-options pre-sentence report was prepared by the Probation Service ahead of Hart's sentence.

Magistrates declined jurisdiction and committed the case to the crown court for sentence.

The bench also ordered the pre-sentence report to be completed.

Hart, who is subject to current notification requirements, was granted unconditional bail by the court.

Magistrates told Hart he will appear at Ipswich Crown Court for sentence on a date to be fixed.