Resort's former mayor in court facing child indecency charges

A former leading Conservative councillor Philip Judd has appeared in court charged with making indecent photographs of children.

Judd, 59, of Trenleigh Drive, Worle, Weston-super-Mare, is charged with 11 counts of making indecent photographs of a child between September 2011 and May 2013. He is also charged with possessing six prohibited movies of a child.

Judd failed to enter a plea during a five-minute hearing at North Somerset Magistrates' Court yesterday morning.

Judd was released on unconditional bail until his next appearance at Bristol Crown Court on June 3.

The court heard that when police searched Judd's home they discovered hundreds of images and videos of children on computer equipment.

The found 20 category five – the most serious – movies and one image, 52 category four images and 91 movies and 62 category three images and 13 movies. They also discovered 35 category two images and six movies and 55 category one images and 26 images.

Judd was elected to North Somerset Council in May 2007, and appointed as its vice chairman in May 2013. He resigned just a month later.

Judd – who was also Weston's mayor between 2010 and 2011 – represented the North Worle area and was also a member of Weston Town Council. He was also a member of North Somerset's south area planning committee and adult services and housing policy and scrutiny panel and was a governor at Priory School – positions he has also stood down from.

During his time as mayor, ex-serviceman Judd, a former armourer in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, was instrumental in affiliating the town of Weston-super-Mare with the Royal Marines 40 Commando.

Judd approached the unit, at Norton Manor Camp, Taunton, to set up the partnership to support to marines. The affiliation followed the launch of the Heroes' Welcome scheme in Weston by Judd which offers service personnel discounts at stores and businesses. He also started Weston-super-Mare Armed Forces Day in 2010. He is no longer involved in any of the initiatives.