A man has admitted downloading extreme child pornography videos.

One of the videos downloaded by Paul James Sales, of Douglas Street, in Castletown, was rated as being at the highest level of severity and seven others were rated at the second highest level.

The 24-year-old will be sentenced at the Court of General Gaol Delivery in July after magistrates decided that their sentencing powers were not sufficient.

Magistrates heard that Sales had been attempting to buy steroids on the dark web when he clicked on links to the illegal videos out of curiosity.

Prosecutor Barry Swain said that Sales had downloaded nine videos to his phone.

The Copine scale rates the severity of images from one to five, with five being most severe.

One of the videos downloaded by Sales was rated at level five, seven at level four, and one at level three.

Sales entered basis of plea in which he said a friend had suggested he use an application, which was part of the dark web and could be used to buy steroids.

Sales said he did not know how to use the application so viewed a YouTube video which gave instructions.

He said he had only viewed one of the videos and immediately closed it when he saw that it was indecent images of children.

Sales conceded that at the time of clicking on the link he did have knowledge of the sort of material it involved but said he had no interest in child abuse and did not like what he saw.

Mr Swain said: ’They say curiosity killed the cat which is perhaps very apt in this case.’

Defence advocate Stephen Wood said: ’This is not a man who has a keen interest in this sort of material.

’He is not a man who spent time cataloguing thousands of images.’

Magistrates decided that their maximum sentencing powers of up to six months custody were not sufficient and Sales will appear at the Court of General Gaol Delivery on July 6.

Bail continues with a condition that Sales reside at his home address, abide by computer restrictions, and not leave the island without court permission.