Clergyman faces web porn charge

A bishop's advisor has appeared before magistrates charged with making and possessing child pornography.

The Rev Richard Thomas, 55, from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, is the Diocese of Oxford's director of communications and an advisor to the Bishop of Oxford.

He has been charged with making and possessing child pornography on his home computer.

He appeared before Didcot Magistrates' Court in Oxfordshire on Monday and was bailed to reappear on 9 January.

A spokesman for the Diocese of Oxford said: "We were saddened to hear that the Rev Richard Thomas has been charged with downloading indecent material from the internet on his home computer in Abingdon.

"Richard has been employed by the diocese as director of communications since 1988 and has worked with care and skill on behalf of the church."

He added that the Rev Thomas was currently suspended from work.