A 62-year-old man has been given a suspended jail sentence after pleading guilty to child pornography charges.

Patrick Hatchelt, of Linten Close in Hitchin, appeared before Stevenage Magistrates’ Court on Monday after admitting four counts of making indecent photographs of children and one count of possessing an indecent photograph of a child.

He also pleaded guilty to one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image of an act of intercourse with an animal.

Hatchelt was handed a 12-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months.

He has been also given a one year supervision requirement and put on the sex offenders register for seven years.