A PAEDOPHILE found in possession of thousands of images depicting the abuse of girls as young as two also used a camera to covertly record a child undressing.

Clive Mars, 67, was snared after police executed a search warrant at his home address.

Colchester Magistrates’ Court heard he was “compliant” with officers and a number of electronic items were seized.

Of the indecent images found on the devices, there were 2,337 still pictures and more than 2,000 moving images at the most serious category A.

The images were found on a number of USB sticks, a hard drive and a computer.

Also found were 3,404 images and 1,515 videos at category B, as well as 16,869 images and 757 videos at category C.

Mars also had 213 extreme pornographic images.

Sharon Hall, prosecuting, said some of the children in the most serious images depicting sexual abuse were as young as two.

She added: “There were a large number of different victims in those images.”

Mars, who has no previous convictions, also used a hidden camera to take images of a child getting undressed.

Appearing before magistrates today, Mars, of Waterside Marina, Brightlingsea, admitted five counts of voyeurism, three counts of making indecent images of children, one count of possessing a prohibited image of a child, one count of taking an indecent photograph of a child and one count of possessing extreme pornographic images.

Magistrates ordered a presentence report to provide the sentencing judge with as much information as possible about the defendant and the offences.

Mars was released on unconditional bail until a sentencing hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court on November 30.