Former Kingston Council leader Derek Osbourne has made his second court appearance on charges of possessing and distributing indecent images of children.

The ex-Liberal Democrat leader, 59, was at Southwark Crown Court this morning for a preliminary hearing to fix a date for his plea and case management.

He is accused of possessing and distributing more than 3,000 still and moving images of children as well as images of bestiality.

The charges include possessing 50 images at level 5 – the most extreme category possible – as well as having 868 images of sexual activity involving children.

Another charge involved having 152 images of bestiality.

Mr Osbourne, wearing a dark blue suit and pink shirt, was given conditional bail and will next appear at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday, October 1.

He was arrested by police at his home in Burlington Road in New Malden in June.

He resigned the next day from his roles as leader of Kingston Council, leader of the ruling Liberal Democrat group and as a councillor in the Beverley ward.

Coun Osbourne was first elected in Kingston in 1986. He was deputy leader of the council from 1994 to 1997.

He first served as leader from 1997 to 1998 and again from 2003.