A poultry factory worker accused of sending a “sick” video of a boy and a chicken to a colleague as a joke ended up in court on Friday.

Stephen Jones, 33, of Ffordd Corn Hir, Llangefni, Anglesey, admitted distributing an indecent image of a child, possession of such an image and extreme porn involving an animal, and publishing an obscene movie of a man having sex with a horse.

Judge Huw Rees at Caernarfon crown court told him: "This was extremely foolhardy behaviour which could have robbed you of your liberty.”

He imposed a nine months community order with rehabilitation “to straighten your thinking as to what is humorous and what is not”. He must also do 100 hours unpaid work.

Prosecutor Anna Price said in December 2017 police were informed by the colleague’s wife that the obscene image of the child and the chicken had been sent to his mobile phone. The video had been “doing the rounds” at a Llangefni chicken factory but the mum found it sickening.

Miss Price said police went to the factory and Jones told them he hadn’t thought the video would cause any trouble. He’d sent it to a number of people including a manager, and his own wife.

“He thought it was a laugh,” counsel said. The defendant - a dad - told police there was also a video of a man having sex with a horse sent to him on Facebook.

The web horse video had been “published” by him.

Elen Owen, defending, said it was an unusual case.

Judge Rees said there was nothing in Jones’s background to suggest a sexual interest in children. “This was a very mistaken attempt at what the probation officer calls a cheap thrill,” he remarked.

The judge said Jones distributed porn because he thought it would be “amusing”. But the judge explained: "Showing any interest in such images creates a demand for further abuse of children to take place to satisfy the unhealthy, degenerate and lustful demands of people like you.” The children were “real victims.”

Judge Rees said: "There was no element of flippancy or humour to be had in possession and dissemination of these images. Your offending is isolated and at odds with your own background and usual behaviour. I am satisfied you have learned from this lesson.”

Jones had been sacked from his regular job and work as a private ambulance driver.

“You have exhibited poor thinking about these images,” the judge added.