A former House of Keys candidate has admitted possessing indecent images of children and importing a child-like sex doll to the island.

David Anthony Fowler had previously pleaded not guilty to the charges, but on Tuesday, November 21, changed his pleas to guilty.

He will be sentenced in summary court on January 16 after a probation report has been prepared.

Prosecuting advocate Barry Swain said that the number of images found was 48.

They have been assessed under the Copine scale which measures severity from one to five, with five being the most severe.

47 of the images were at level one, with one at level two.

Mr Swain submitted that the case was suitable for summary court sentencing.

On August 29, Fowler entered not guilty pleas to five counts of possessing indecent images of children and one count of importing a child-like sex doll to the island, but he has now changed those pleas to guilty.

Fowler, who lives at Howstrake Drive in Onchan, ran for MHK in the constituency of Middle in 2021 but finished last of five candidates with 163 votes.

He also stood for election in 2016, in Douglas South, but again finished last of four candidates with 296 votes.

Defence advocate Paul Glover asked for a probation report and psychiatric report to be prepared before sentencing.

Bail continues in the sum of £500 with conditions that the defendant live at his home address, not enter or loiter around any educational establishments or associate with any child under 16, not to leave the island without court consent, contact probation and co-operate in the preparation of the report, and with computer restrictions in place.