A disgraced primary school teacher admitted downloading child porn off the Internet when he appeared in court yesterday.

Andrew Guffick, 34, of Commercial Street, Ferryhill Station, County Durham, worked as a teacher at Chilton Junior School until February.

He was suspended from the post after details of a police investigation became known to Durham County Council, the local education authority, and the school.

A month later, the teacher who had been at the school for four-and-a-half terms, resigned from his job.

Guffick, who has also worked as a supply teacher for Darlington Borough Council, admitted nine charges of making indecent photographs of children between February 1, 2001, and February 21, this year, when he appeared at Teesside Crown Court.

Rod Hunt, for Guffick, said the former teacher was now undergoing psychiatric assessment at an hospital unit in Darlington after consultation with his own GP.

The court was told Guffick had no previous convictions and Judge Les Spittle adjourned sentencing to a date to be fixed, while pre-sentence and psychiatric reports were carried out.

Guffick, who was accompanied to court by a psychiatric worker, was released on bail.

Judge Spittle warned that all sentencing options were open, adding: "The court needs more information about your circumstances and background, and a psychiatric report is also needed.

"Sentence will be determined by a judge when you come back before this court."