A FORMER Plaid Cymru AM has been given a suspended sentence after admitting making more than 600 indecent images of children.

Simon Thomas, from Penparcau, Aberystwyth, who represented Mid and West Wales at Assembly level appeared at Mold Magistrates' Court today.

The 54-year-old had previously admitted making 94 still and 56 moving images of category A, 87 still and 16 moving images of category B, and 354 still and five moving images of category C.

He was given a 26 week suspended sentence for a period 24 months and will be registered on the sex offenders register for the next seven years.

Following the ruling, an NSPCC Cymru spokesperson said: “Within these images are young victims of abuse and by possessing them, Thomas has fuelled the demand in this awful trade.

"It is not a victimless crime.

“His actions betrayed the trust placed in him by the communities he represented at Cardiff Bay and Westminster and it’s now extremely important that he receives appropriate rehabilitation as part of his sentence.

“Ridding images like these from the internet must be a priority for tech companies, government and law enforcement.”