A NORTH Yorkshire police officer is today a registered sex offender after he pleaded guilty to having nearly 9,000 indecent pictures of children.

PC Christopher Douglas Groom, 41, must report to his colleagues at Scarborough Police Station by Saturday and give them a list of personal details, including any address where he spends more than seven days a year as well as his home address and his bank and credit card details and tell them if he intends to travel outside the UK. He must also say if he spends more than 12 hours in a household with a child under eight.

The exact length of time he spends on the register will be decided next month.

Groom, of a village between York and Malton, appeared before Leeds Magistrates Court.

He admitted making 8,707 indecent images of children, the charge used when people download illegal images. All were in the lowest range of three categories of sexual abuse of children and were made between December 3, 2014 and November 14, 2021.

He was released on bail while probation officers prepare a pre-sentence report. He will return to Leeds Magistrates Court on June 14 to learn his sentence and how long he will be on the register.

He has been suspended from duty since his arrest.