A PRIMARY school teacher faces a possible prison sentence after admitting downloading child pornography on his home computer.

Martin Andre Pauc's career is in ruins after his arrest late last year when police investigators found images under such headings as ET Nymph, Lilika, and Agent Rosa and Olivia.

Durham Crown Court was told the offences, with their "sexual connotation", could lead him to be disqualified from working with children.

Pauc, 56, of Elliott Close, Penshaw, near Sunderland, admitted two counts of making, and three of possessing an indecent photograph of a child, between July and October last year, when he appeared at the court yesterday.

He denied five further charges of possession of indecent images of children.

Robert Woodcock, prosecuting, said the pleas were acceptable to the prosecution, which is likely to ask for the charges he has denied to be left on the file when Pauc comes to be sentenced.

Mr Woodcock said: "He is a school teacher and his interests outside school work involve him in the care and education of young girls, so it may be appropriate for the sentencing court to have before it all the necessary reports, with these offences having a sexual connotation."

Robin Patton, for Pauc, said: "His employment is coming to an end and the outside interests are also at an end."

Adjourning sentence for preparation of reports by the probation service, the judge, Mr Justice Bennett, said: "There's a real possibility he may lose his liberty."

A spokeswoman for Sunderland Education Authority said Pauc had remained suspended from his job at Grange Park Primary School, in the Monkwearmouth area of the city, since the offences came to light.