A PAEDOPHILE was crying in court as he pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images of children.

Thomas Alford, 25, pleaded guilty at Reading Magistrates Court on Wednesday (June 14) to one count of making indecent photographs/pseudo-photographs of a child.

He was caught on or before January 7 this year in Woodley of possessing 1,215 category C images of children.

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Alford also pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a prohibited image of a child – namely 151 photographs.

However, Alford will need to stand trial for a third count, taking an indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child, to which he made no plea.

It is alleged that at Lyme Regis in Dorset on July 8, 2019, he took three indecent photographs of children while at the beach.

He will now stand trial at the same court later this year.

Alford, of Western Avenue, Woodley, could be seen crying in the dock after making his two guilty pleas.

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As he was told he could leave the court room, he said: “Does that mean I have another chance to prove I can be a good person?”

District judge Samuel Goozee told Alford his barrister would explain the proceedings and next steps to him outside of court.