Former south Warwickshire rector admits having hundreds of indecent images of children on his phone

And a judge has heard that the Rev Christopher Goble may have thousands more still and moving images of children on his phone and other devices.

Goble, who was Rector at St Mary church in Ilmington, and priest in charge for a group of churches, pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to three charges of possessing indecent images of children.

The court heard that Goble (44) of The Rectory, Valenders Lane, Ilmington, near Shipston, had 112 still and moving images in category A, showing children being subjected to penetrative sex acts, on his phone.

The disgraced churchman, who has been dismissed from his post, also had 121 category B images of children taking part in non-penetrative sexual activity.

And there were a further 186 category C images showing children in naked or indecent poses.

But prosecutor Adrian Fleming pointed out that there was ‘an ongoing investigation’ which involves the analysis of other devices seized from Goble when he was arrested in late September.

And there could be up to 49,000 other images to be examined, he explained.

Judge Anthony Potter adjourned the case for that investigation to be completed, and for a pre-sentence report to be prepared on Goble.

Goble, who is expected to be sentenced in the week of December 9, was granted bail until then, and was ordered to register with the police as a sex offender.