A man is facing a jail sentence after admitting downloading child sex abuse images and assaulting a boy.

Howard Dear, of Kennington, Ashford, said to have “relevant previous convictions”, pleaded guilty to four charges of possessing indecent images of a child and one of sexual assault.

Maidstone Crown Court heard the downloading offences involved 185 images of abused children.

Caroline Knight, prosecuting, said Dear had previously attended a sex offender programme.

The 55-year-old, of Bybrook Road, Kennington, was remanded in custody until sentence on March 30.