Former Wigan councillor charged with possessing thousands of indecent images of children and dogs

Joseph Shaw is charged with having made 3,114 Category A images (the most serious classification), 1,719 Category B images and 2,251 Category C images of children between January 2013 and July 2019.

Wigan magistrates were told that some of the pictures of abuse featured tots aged between just three months and two years old.

The 53-year-old, of Dicconson Street, Swinley, was first elected to the council for Labour in 2004, and represented Wigan West for three years while also serving on Greater Manchester Transport Authority.

In the same time frame as possessing the child images, Shaw is accused of possessing 98 extreme pornographic portrayals of a person performing intercourse with dogs.

He also faces a charge of being in possession of 105 prohibited images of children. In total, he is alleged to have had 7,189 indecent images.

Shaw also faces a further three charges of distributing 12 of the images, and four counts of breaching a sexual offences prevention order.

He spoke only to confirm his name and address. He entered no pleas and was bailed to appear at Bolton Crown Court on April 15.