A FORMER Oldham councillor has appeared in court facing charges of downloading child pornography over a two-year period.

Martin Judd, who was elected to represent the Hollinwood ward in 2018, appeared at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court yesterday.

He faced allegations that between February 2018 and the same month last year he downloaded 15 category A, the most serious, images of children, 23 category B and 48 category C ones.

He pleaded not guilty to all three of the allegations.

The 25-year-old of Jenny Street in Oldham’s case was put forward to a trial which is expected to run for three days in January next year.

Judge Maurice Greene said to him: “The trial will take place on the 17th of January, it is a long way off, ensure you keep in touch with your solicitor.”

He was also instructed to provide an adequate defence statement.

Judd, originally from New Zealand, was elected in the local government elections in 2018 where there were two vacancies at the ward.

The former Labour politician received 1,184 votes in Hollinwood which represented a 73 per cent of the total.

He was elected to serve a four-year term but his departure was announced on the Oldham Council website and his profile currently states he is not a serving councillor.

During his time on the local authority he served as deputy cabinet member in economy and enterprise.

Judd is also understood to have worked in Waitrose and have studied for a degree in economics and mathematical sciences from the Open University.

He was also named as the president of the Manchester Trailblazers Rotary Club in 2017.

The notification of his departure from Oldham Council stated that if no application to fill the vacancy comes forward it will have to wait until the next set of local government elections, which are due to take place later this year.